CHILDREN at primary schools across Newham will be focusing on the Olympics with a programme running a host of activities throughout the coming year. The programme is run by the South West Newham Education Action Zone and is a partnership of primary school

CHILDREN at primary schools across Newham will be focusing on the Olympics with a programme running a host of activities throughout the coming year.

The programme is run by the South West Newham Education Action Zone and is a partnership of primary schools, the head teachers of which meet and share good practice and approve plans for a variety of initiatives that comprise Citizenship Week.

A total of 16 schools across Newham are involved in the programme, now in its ninth year, which has chosen the theme of the Newham Olympic Pledge.

Many have already launched the programme with assemblies, competitions and partnership activities in their schools.

A group of 10 and 11-year-old children from Calverton Primary School in King George Avenue, Custom House enjoyed a guided tour around the site of the athletes village. The children will write a report based on the tour and take part in a debate on the Olympics later this month.

Some of the younger children have sent out invitations to visit in 2012 and 10 schools will compete in their own Mini-Olympics at Newham Sports & Leisure Centre on January 27

The older children have begun researching local planning for the Games, visiting site developments and considering the role of athletes, sponsors and their community in Question Time sessions and debates at East Ham Town Hall.

Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone met the schools' Green Olympic Detectives at Stratford Town Hall last Wednesday January 13.

All the children (6,000+) will be writing poems about Olympic Values, including excellence, determination, friendship and respect. Their winning poems will go on display in March.