Lord Coe has endorsed plans for the £30,000 renovation of outdoor sporting facilities at a Queens Park Primary School.
The two-time Olympic 1,500m gold medallist has given his seal of approval after Salisbury Primary School, in Salisbury Road, successfully secured a Sports England grant to create a vibrant multi-activity games area.
Lord Coe, the Prime Minister’s Olympic and Paralympic legacy ambassador said: “A positive first experience of PE and sport at primary school is crucial to encouraging young people to be active throughout their lives, but for those schools with little or no outside space, this can be extremely challenging to deliver.
“This funding will provide better outdoor multi-activity play areas at Salusbury that can be used both within the curriculum and outside school hours by local communities.
“I am convinced this will boost the opportunities for young people to be physically active.”
The outdoor sporting facilities at the school will undergo extensive renovation, allowing pupils to enjoy a variety of sports including football, tennis, basketball and volleyball
Other notable features of the plans include multiple floor markings, mini goals, a free standing dividing wall and a hoop.
Linda Kiernan, headteacher, said: “This new outdoor space will transform the children’s playtimes.
“Not only will children have more opportunities to play different sports, but the school will also have more opportunities to notice and nurture particular talent.”
As well as being a welcome boost to PE lessons, it is hoped the improvements will encourage children at the Queen’s Park school to be more active and lead a healthier lifestyle.
The institution is among 601 schools to secure funding for improved sporting facilities.
Nick Bitel, chairman of Sport England, said: “Having the right space to play sport and be physically active as a child is vitally important.
“We are delighted to be investing this funding in Salusbury Primary School to improve spaces that will give children the room to start enjoying PE and sport.”
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