The Fitness Industry Association (FIA) is to roll out its Active at School programme nationwide this month following a successful trial.

An official launch of the programme was held at Beaconsfield Primary School in November, where 20 pupils have been taking part in the trial. The students showcased the new skills they have learned at the event, which was attended by the mayor of Ealing, councillor Ian Green.

Aimed at 10- to 15-year-olds, Active at School links schools with local FIA member clubs to introduce pupils to activities they wouldn’t otherwise experience. Beaconsfield students took part in activities including dodgeball, football, basketball and junior cricket. The aim of the programme is to inspire young people to enjoy exercise and take responsibility for their fitness.

Andrée Deane, CEO of the FIA, says: “Recent figures show that one-third of British children are overweight or obese. All the research points to the fact that children are just not doing enough physical activity to be healthy.

As far as our national child obesity issue is concerned, a major cause of the problem is simply the fact that energy consumed exceeds energy expended.

“That’s why we decided to harness our collective resources and try to help parents, teachers and the government tackle this profound national problem.”

Andrew Rogers, manager at Southall Sports Centre, which is participating in the scheme, says: “The Active at School programme is extremely successful at our centre and has allowed our local primary school children to access quality facilities and sports coaching on a regular basis.”