Local SEND School crowned North West bowling champions

Pupils from The Coppice School in Lancashire have been crowned North West champions after an outstanding performance in the Panathlon ten-pin bowling competition. They were also the highest scoring special school to take part at national level.

The team began their journey at the South Ribble event in Preston last October, progressing to the Lancashire finals in March, where they secured first place to qualify for the regional final.

Competing at Hollywood Bowl in Bolton on May 19, The Coppice School faced four other special schools from across the North West and emerged victorious. Their win is particularly notable given the scale of the competition, with over 350 schools—both mainstream and specialist—taking part across the region.

On the day, the team achieved a total score of 388 points. With only four players competing, their average score was especially impressive compared to larger teams.

A standout performance came from one of their pupils, who scored an exceptional 141 points, including one strike and four spares. His score made him the highest-performing individual across the entire national Panathlon competition on the day, including mainstream competitors.

All pupils performed strongly, each averaging around 80 points, demonstrating excellent teamwork, resilience and sportsmanship throughout.

Panathlon is a national charity that provides young people with disabilities and special educational needs the opportunity to take part in competitive sport. The achievement reflects the commitment and determination of the pupils, and staff are immensely proud of their success.