At Brixington Primary Academy, children's families and friends have been sponsoring them to keep fit, with a little help from a local paralympian.
David Hill attended Brixington school 25 years ago and since then has gone on to reach a world-class standard in swimming and triathlon, representing Great Britain in two Paralympic Games.
On July 5 he came back to his school to encourage the children to take part in fitness activities and to deliver an assembly to the children.
The children were inspired when they discovered that such a successful athlete used to compete on the very sports field, and in the very hall, where they have their PE lessons! He taught the children the value of perseverance and that even the greatest athletes lose more often than they win - it's how they respond that counts.
Headteacher Stuart Dyer said: “A real highlight of the day was when he awarded the house trophy to the winning sports day house… the same trophy he himself competed for all those years ago!”
As part of the day, the children have been asking for sponsorship, raising money to pay for more inspirational athletes like David to visit local schools, and for new sports equipment for Mr Dyer said: “We have been utterly overwhelmed by our families’ generosity this year. We've raised around £7,000 for crucial charities like Race for Life, Edukid and Children in Need, despite so many of our families facing financial hardship due to the pandemic. Contributing to our community is really important to our children and they always make a huge effort.”
The schoolchildren are continuing to keep healthy right up to the end of term: the house captains have arranged a walk to school week with prizes for the winning house.