Kelsey's Marathon headteacher is a big step ahead

Every Wednesday lunchtime Kelsey Primary School interim headteacher Matt Ashmead takes about 20 children for an energising jog, leaving everyone geared-up for their studies in the afternoon.

Mr Ashmead started the weekly jog when he joined the school in September - and has even kept it up through the cold, wind and rain during the winter.

He said: “Getting the body moving, gets the mind moving.

“We want them to know exercise is good for them and get them engaged.

“The more clubs you have the better the experience for the children.

“We try to provide lots of extra things - I talked to the staff when I first came here and they wanted to do more sports clubs.”

Mr Ashmead - who is running this year’s London Marathon to raise money for Children with Cancer UK - worked out a safe route around North Kelsey that means his pupils do not have to cross any roads.

He said: “The children really enjoy it and it helps me because I have done some training.”

The run is open to anyone in the junior classes, aged seven to 11 - and most weeks about one-fifth of the 
school’s students take part.

And a successful running club is not the only thing Mr Ashmead is celebrating.

Kelsey Primary School has just been given a ‘good’ rating by Ofsted, with inspectors highlighting how ‘pupils are fully engaged in learning’ and the school has ‘a calm, yet busy and vibrant atmosphere’.

Mr Ashmead said: “It’s been great to see how many positive comments were made.”

As well as their Wednesday run, this week all pupils will be donning their training shoes for a quarter-mile lap around the school building to raise money for Sport Relief.

To sponsor Mr Ashmead in the London Marathon visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/TeamAshmead.