A SOUTHAMPTON school is going to the extra mile to help its students get active.

Bassett Green Primary School is the first Southampton primary to adopt the Golden Mile – a new initiative which aims to inspire and encourage children in the city to get active every day.

Pupils simply walk, skip or jog around a Golden Mile track within the safety of the school grounds.

They can then use free downloadable resources to upload and track their achievements.

The initiative is co-ordinated by Energise Me, a Winchester-based charity which exists to beat inactivity across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

It comes as childhood obesity figures, released this Autumn, revealed that one in five year R pupils in Southampton are overweight or obese.

Dom Ducellier, a teacher at Bassett Green Primary School, said: “We’ve had a really positive experience with the Golden Mile so far.

“It’s free, simple to set up and is good for the health and wellbeing of our pupils. It gives them more energy throughout the day to stay focussed on their work and achieve their very best.”

Alannah Stephenson, project officer, said: “The Golden Mile is a great fun way to get children active during the school day.

“We have had great feedback from schools across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight with many reporting increased fitness and concentration, improved behaviour and increased motivation to take part in physical activity.”