A PRIMARY school has been named one of the most active in the country in a regional challenge.

Rivenhall Primary School topped the leaderboard for Essex-based primary schools in the popular Walk to School Challenge.

Pupils have been getting active on the way to school and making extra efforts to record how they get into school each morning.

It came after the school signed up for the WOW Walk to School Challenge, an initiative where the children report on how they get to school every day using an interactive tracker.

The scheme, run by national charity Living Streets, currently includes 50 schools around Essex and 1,500 across the UK.

Having previously petitioned for the use of zebra crossings, the organisation is now challenging people to choose walking as their first choice for everyday local journeys.

The WOW Challenge is part of the initiative and aims to get children active as early as possible. 

Those who travel to school in an active and sustainable way get rewarded with a collectable monthly badge.

Initially, Rivenhall Primary joined the programme to teach pupils the importance of staying active and enjoying time outside.

The school has now topped the leaderboard and is officially the most active WOW school in Essex.

Headteacher Becky Moore said: “We felt it was really important to highlight to the children how crucial being active is.

“So, when we had the opportunity to join the scheme with the badges and regular recordings of when they walk to school or ride their bikes, it was important that we took up this opportunity and joined the programme.

“If we can get children creating healthy habits now and walking, then they’re more likely to take these habits into adulthood.

“It’s really important to start these habits now and by us rewarding the children and reminding them to be active, they will see them as good things they’ve done.”