Olympian launches Kennet School's rising stars programme

Mark Richardson drops in to the Thatcham school

AN Olympic medallist dropped into Thatcham to relaunch Kennet School's Rising Stars programme.

British 400m silver medalist, Mark Richardson, returned to the Stoney Lane school to launch the challenge last week with deputy headteacher Bernadette McNally.

The Rising Stars programme aims to ensure that each and every single Year 7 pupil excels in a range of academic, sporting, artistic and charitable endeavours. The programme charts the progress of each pupil, offering rewards and encouragement along the way.

Mr Richardson graced the stage at Kennet in the summer at the school's Sports Personality of the Year Awards. He said he was delighted to launch the challenge and came back because he had such high impressions of the school.

He then talked to the Year 7 pupils about how to overcome a range of barriers to succeed. His main theme concerned the importance of ambition, effort and perseverance rather than raw talent.

Mrs McNally, said: “It is great to have Mark Richardson back here again. He is an outstanding athlete and, just as importantly, an outstanding person. I hope we have all learnt from his words about hard work and commitment to access the many rewards in the Rising Stars programme.”