We recently visited Bardfield Academy to celebrate the official opening of its brand new Active Playground. The exciting new space is part of a national programme funded by the London Marathon Foundation (LMF) to transform play spaces and get more children moving.
The event marked an amazing milestone not only for the school, but for a wider initiative that has seen 30 Active Playgrounds delivered across England, helping to inspire healthier, more active lifestyles for young people.
The new playground markings at Bardfield Academy are designed to bring physical activity into everyday school life, supporting initiatives like The Daily Mile and the TCS Mini London Marathon in Schools. These programmes make it easier for pupils to build regular activity into their day in a fun, accessible way. By creating an environment that naturally encourages movement, the playground supports both physical health and wider wellbeing, helping children to feel more energised, engaged, and ready to learn.
Hayley Fowlie-Burns, Headteacher at Bardfield Academy shared:
“Being chosen as one of just 30 schools across England for the Active Playground initiative is a massive win for Bardfield Academy. The new track has transformed the playground into a purposefully structured, high-energy environment…”
It’s inspiring to hear such positive feedback from the school so soon after implementation. The impact already being seen at Bardfield highlights how small environmental changes, when paired with the right programmes, create meaningful improvements in participation, confidence, and overall wellbeing among pupils.
Francis White, Children and Young People Lead at the London Marathon Foundation, continued to share the importance of the project:
“At London Marathon Foundation, we work really closely with Active Essex, and it’s really important for us to connect with local schools and deliver our initiatives across Essex. We are all about inspiring activity, getting young children moving more, and we’re really proud of our partnership with Active Essex and to be here today to celebrate Active Playgrounds.”
Adding to the excitement of the day, pupils were joined by World record holder for Most consecutive ultramarathons (male), Sam King from Tendring, whose personal story brought a powerful message about the importance of movement and wellbeing. Through sharing his own journey, Sam helped to show pupils that being active doesn’t have to start with elite performance, it can begin with small, everyday steps and grow into something life-changing.
Sam reflected on the experience:
“It feels amazing to be part of this Active Playground launch, it’s a real full circle moment. It feels great to be back at a school, especially as this is my first time returning since I was a student myself.
When I was younger, I was really unhealthy and didn’t know what to do, so to come back with a story that might motivate people and hopefully get kids outdoors has been amazing. The kids have loved it and it’s been really great fun.”
Sam also highlighted the long-term impact of encouraging active habits from a young age:
“Initiatives like this are really important. I spent a lot of time in my younger years behind a screen, and that had a detrimental impact on my health. It wasn’t until later in life that I discovered running and being outdoors, and realised what it can do for you. So projects like this help make sure kids don’t go down that same path, and instead spend more time being active, because it’s so good for you.”
Through strong partnerships between London Marathon Foundation, Active Essex, and schools, Active Playgrounds are helping make physical activity a natural part of the school day, supporting young people to build healthier, more active habits for both now and in the future.
