There is a children’s program that gets aired on a Saturday morning at 09:00 on CBBC television called “Teacher is coming to stay”. The format for the program is that the BBC turn up at a Primary school on a Friday and pounce on a teacher and challenges the teacher to go home with a pupil to and learn the basics of two of the pupil’s hobbies. Then on the Monday morning, the BBC sets a test for the Teacher on one of those hobbies to see how much they have learnt over the week end.

Well this all sounds great but anyone who saw the first few of these programs would I am sure agree that it was not action packed or challenging, with a selection of hobbies ranging from Tap dancing, Snare drumming, Doctor Who collecting, controlling a sheep dog etc. So the BBC decided to up the ante and bring some action sports into the mix, particularly water sports. Green Lane School in Worcester Park, Surrey was contacted along with many others to find out if any of them had any children who could fit the bill…

Step forward Ellie Johncey, an eleven year old Windsurfer, Dinghy sailor and SUP boarder. The BBC sent round a researcher and camera man to Ellie’s house one evening for an interview and audition and to see if Ellies hobbies would be action orientated enough for the program. The interview leaned more and more towards the windsurfing aspect of Ellie’s hobbies and then the researcher found out that one of Ellie’s other sports was Judo, and that she had won the gold medal in her weight group in Judo at the London Youth Games. The Camera man and researcher’s eyes lit up, wow, two action sports that are miles apart, this should be great TV..! Ellie’s fate as a budding action sports teacher was now sealed.

Without letting Ellie know, the plans were now under way. All Ellie knew was that she was in the running to be included in a future program for next year, she had no idea that it would all be kicking off in a few days time with a full on outside camera crew and production team rocking up at her school. On Friday 4th July on Ellie’s School Sports Day, the BBC made their move and pounced on Mrs Allen (Ellie’s form teacher) and challenged her to be taught both Windsurfing and Judo by Ellie over the weekend and tested on one of those sports on the Monday. The BBC film crew were at Ellie’s house over the whole weekend from 7:30 – 10:30 and yes, in case you were wondering, Mrs. Allen did stay at Ellie’s house over the whole weekend.

Mrs Allen took up the challenge and Ellie demonstrated and taught her teacher both windsurfing and Judo. Mrs Allen really went for it over the whole weekend. Westcroft Judo Club was the venue for all the Judo training and Ellie’s 4th Dan instructor Andy Ede was on hand to oversee the Judo training that Ellie put Mrs Allen through. Mercers Park was the venue for the windsurfing training. Mrs. Allen really enjoyed learning to windsurf even though she only got about 2 ½ hours on the water over the whole weekend.

On the Sunday morning the BBC arranged for Mrs. Allen to undertake a mock examination on Windsurfing and Judo. In Judo she was expected to demonstrate her knowledge and then her throwing technique on Andy Ede. In Windsurfing she would have to assemble a complete windsurfing rig against the clock. Sunday afternoon would be her last chance to brush up her skills on both sports before the challenge on Monday. Monday morning at 7:30, it was raining and blowing at least a force 6 gusting 8 and the BBC arrived for the last time to announce which of the sports Mrs. Allen was going to be tested on, would it be Judo in the comfort of the Westcroft Judo Club or would it be windsurfing in a force 6 – 8?

Find out this coming Sunday (22nd March) on CBBC at 10:00am!