Schools WOW factor

All Saints Primary School, Liverpool, were celebrating after being nominated for the inaugural ‘School of the Year’ award at the Merseyside Sporting Champions Dinner 2013.  

This capped a year where the school’s commitment to sport and outdoor activity has taken off, largely due to a new initiative called ‘Work Out Wednesday’ (WOW).

All pupils attend school each Wednesday in a school tracksuit and take part in a wide range of sporting, artistic and athletic lessons including multi-sports training, basketball, swimming, kayaking and bouldering.

Musical and modern foreign language lessons are also woven into the afternoons.

Jean Walker, head of PE, sport and enrichment at the school, said: “I couldn’t be happier with the way staff have embraced the idea – there are so many involved in the coaching sessions both within the school day and after it.  Pupils are loving every minute of it.”

Part of the initiative is planned with the LFC Foundation whose coaches are part of the programme, and the school was recently given an extra boost when reds’ defender and France international Mamadou Sakho pledged to become one of the available staff on duty whenever he can.

Jean said: “He will be helping to coach the football team and assist with the MFL provision in class.