Olympic medallists inspire Deer Park students (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cirencester Deer Park pupils take their inspiration from Olympics

11:00am Wednesday 11th July 2012 in School News By Charlotte Shepherd

CIRENCESTER Deer Park school welcomed three world class athletes to help pupils celebrate National Sports week in Olympic style.

Olympic medallist diver Leon Taylor, international rugby layer Thinius Delport and Olympic para cycling medallist James Brown attended a special assembly to hand out sporting and academic awards to students for special effort and achievement.

This was the culmination of an Olympic-inspired week to remember at the Cirencester school which included dramatic opening and closing ceremonies.

The school's sports day was given the full Olympic treatment with each of the school's 29 tutor groups representing a country with a parade of flags prior to the track and field events.

The mayor of Cirencester, Andy Lichnowski, was on hand to officially open the day and Year 10 Olympic torch-bearer Jake Ashton showed off his official Olympic torch.

Traditional lessons were replaced the following day with Olympic lessons this time in the form of sports that are not normally taught in school, including archery, judo and taekwondo.

Pe teacher Fay Smith, who organised the Olympic programme said: "To see so many pupils inspired by the events that we have held was amazing. It was always my aim to try to give pupils a once in a life time event to celebrate the London Olympics and to see that moment of magic in so many pupils eyes was clear to see at the closing ceremony and I hope their memories will stay with them forever."