Search for
Search for
Search forPupils blaze a trail in move to keep fit
Saturday, November 15, 2008, 09:20
St John's Primary School, in Trent Vale, has entered The Sentinel's and Barclays Class Act competition with the hope of winning £5,000 to make their vision possible.
If they won one of the three prizes that are up for grabs, the money would be spent on markers and route cards for a trail that would run around the school grounds.
A variety of courses would mean children from nursery age to Year Six would be able to make use of the feature at lunchtime and after school.
Headteacher Pauline Bloor said it would be a great form of exercise that could also be opened up to children outside the school.
She said: "We try very hard here to encourage healthy lifestyles by keeping pupils active.
"Orienteering is a great, active sport but it also challenges the mind and body.
"Although we're close to the hospital and the A34, we have got some nice grounds and we're eager to make good use of them.
"We see the courses as being a good idea for nursery to Year Six children and it could include their parents, grandparents and other schools."
If the entry is successful, orienteering could be up and running in the Wheatley Avenue grounds by next summer.
Pupils at the school would be encouraged to come up with their own designs and one idea is that different classes could create their own trail.
Courses would be changed regularly to keep pupils interested and stop-off points would include identifying trees or picking up recycling tips.
The courses would also be made as eco-friendly as possible to fit in with the school's eco club.
Year Three class teacher Elizabeth Tideswell, who runs the club, said: "We'd like to tie the eco club in with the orienteering trail to emphasise the importance of being healthy.
"We have got flowers and plants in the eco garden and we could have a key on the trail for each tree.
"The children get really into the eco club.
"I am sure the trail will be well-used, not just by members of the club but the whole school."
Comment on this story