2025 Manor Abbey saw the successful launch of a new Martial Arts Club, which is registered as a member of the Cobra Martial Arts Association (CMAA). Mr Bownds, established the club as an opportunity for a number of pupils and staff – who had expressed interest in learning new skills – to engage in a new experience. The sessions are run during the school day, but are not timetabled lessons; this has allowed pupils to actively choose to participate and engage in a new discipline.

All participants have learned basic kickboxing skills as they have made steps towards their first grading (8th Kyu). Respect, patience and resilience are all key elements of any martial art, but pupils have also learned basic techniques, the importance of bowing as a mark of respect, mastering the complications of tying a belt and also safe practice and use of equipment.

The autumn term has seen the club run on a number of occasions and pupils have also worked hard in additional 1:1 sessions with Mr Bownds, Mr Beech and each other to hone their technique and learn kickboxing principles.

It was a proud moment when 7 students accepted the challenge of taking on their yellow belt grading. To do so they had to answer some questions beforehand, help set up the gym and then accept ‘exam conditions’ and the very disciplined approach to them being assessed. All came through successfully and were very proud to be awarded their certificates and belts at the whole school assembly.

‘Shoujiki’ is the name of the club under Mr Bownds’ instruction – as a member of CMAA he is a registered Black Belt and Instructor. An important element of the club’s ethos is learning and respecting the meaning of the club’s name – which translates as ‘Integrity’ or ‘Honesty’.

Congratulations to the new Yellow belts:

• Alfie
• Rory
• Logan
• T Jay
• James
• Mark
• Kaiden