PUPILS at a Barry primary school have celebrated two healthy living awards with a day-long mindful commitment to activity and wellbeing.

Cadoxton Primary youngsters walked, biked and scooted to school to witness Sustrans Cymru active journeys officer Hamish Belding present them with a Sustrans Bronze Award and senior health promotion specialist Catherine Perry present them with a Healthy Schools Award.

The children, from Years 3 to 6, engaged in a host of activities throughout the day – including dance, walking, circuits, yoga, and Forest Schools.

Head teacher Janet Hayward said both Cadoxton and Romilly primary schools were the joint health and wellbeing pioneers in the Vale.

She said: “Our whole term focus is on health and wellbeing so we are having a huge celebration.

“If you are not healthy and happy you can’t learn,” she said.

Mr Belding said: “Active Journeys schools are encouraged to complete the Sustrans School Mark Award scheme to ensure that the ethos of encouraging active travel on the journey to school is reflected through school policies and supported by teaching staff and school community.

They were presented with the Sustrans School Mark Bronze Award as recognition for meeting the Bronze criteria for excellence in sustainable travel.

“They are well on the way to achieving Silver and hopefully if all goes well they might achieve this by the end of the year.”

Mrs Perry said Cadoxton Primary School had been so successful with its healthy focus that it had acquired two extra Welsh Network of Healthy Schools awards with the school previously being infants and junior.

The school has also changed its lunchtime routine switching playtime to before they sit down for food so that the children can burn off some energy and then eat without feeling rushed.

Year 6 pupil Jessica Varley said: “We have been running three breaks to keep us all fit and healthy.”

Year 8 pupil Oskar Rick added: “We have been running miles and we have got a snack shack where we have been eating apples.”