HAYWARDS Primary School in Crediton is delighted to have received an Award from the Association for Physical Education (afPE).

The school was awarded the afPE Quality Mark for Physical Education and Sport with Distinction.

It is a huge achievement for the school to have reached the highest of three tiers of the award: 1 Working towards, 2 Achieving mark and 3 Distinction.

Staff and pupils at the school say they are very proud as they are one of only two primary schools in the South West to have achieved this level - only 42 primary schools out of 24,300 have received the award nationally.

Dave Bamber, a specialist PE teacher at the school said: "It’s something really special that we want to share with the community.

"Members of staff have helped the children to progress quickly.

"First thing every morning, every child takes part in "Wake & Shake" 10 minute activity sessions, in their own classroom - These sessions wake the children up and get the oxygen to the brain.

"It has been proven that academic attainment and concentration increase after activity."

Not only has the school invested in a specialist PE teacher, but it has also invested in new equipment and developed their play times and lunch times. For example, Year 6 pupils lead games for the younger children in the playground ranging from dancing and singing to football and skipping.

The focus is on "Hayward’s Heroes" and sport is used to develop the whole character of the pupils, who referee and make their own rules for the games thereby developing their honesty in sport.

The pupils also have the opportunity to take part in a range of sports including American football, Slacklining (similar to tightrope walking), orienteering, dance, gymnastics, tennis, athletics, swimming, tag rugby and rounders.

Physical activity is also used in classroom based lessons to help increase the pupils grades.

Nora Parminter