Wednesday 25 May 2016. Elaine Wyllie (pictured third from left), the founder of the Daily Mile campaign (which aims to get children fit through a daily run at school), visited Woodlands School in Leatherhead today after being inspired by hearing about what they are achieving for children with often severe learning and other disabilities.
Elaine Wyllie, who won the Pride of Britain ‘Headteacher of the Year’ award in 2015 for introducing a daily run that transformed children's fitness at her Stirling school, arranged her visit to Woodlands School in advance of attending a meeting with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fit and Healthy Childhood and a meeting with the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan as she continues her campaign to get the daily mile launched within schools across the country.
Elaine has been particularly inspired by the Woodlands School story and the achievements of the daily run, which was the brainchild of the nursing and therapy teams (employed by CSH Surrey). The teams introduced the run in January this year (2016) following clinical concerns around weight gain in some of the children and increasing evidence around the importance of exercise for children with disabilities. It is already delivering real benefits, from increased attention in the afternoons to stabilising weight gain and improving strength and stamina.
Elaine met Adrienne Knight, headteacher at Woodlands School, and members of the nursing and therapy teams, before watching the children do their daily run at 1pm. Elaine says: “I had a wonderful visit to Woodlands School where I saw the children and staff doing The Daily Mile together. Their joy and sense of achievement was clear to see. The children have already begun to experience the benefits of being physically active while enjoying being outside in the fresh air. It's a great example of The Daily Mile in action and demonstrates how inclusive it is. Every child and young person should have the opportunity to be fit, and Woodlands School, along with many more schools around the country, are realising that doing a daily run is quick and easy to do, free and importantly for the children, enjoyable as well.”
Adrienee, second from right (stripey top), headteacher Adrienne opposite (glasses), CSH Surrey Chief Executive to the right of Adrienne (cream jacket), plus some of the nursing and therapy teams.
Happy children following their daily run. Elaine pictured second to end on the left, next to Jo Pritchard, Chief Executive of CSH Surrey. Headteacher Adrienne Knight is pictured far right.
