AROUND 1,000 children will be introduced to life at secondary school next week with a timetable of fun challenges.

The four to ten year olds will be descending on Unity City Academy (UCA) in Middlesbrough to take part in a day of events to encourage healthier lifestyles and introduce them to their next school.

The Olympic Challenge Day has been organised by UCA staff for year 1 to 6 pupils at primary schools in East Middlesbrough.

UCA students have organised a series of challenges and the youngsters will also take part in a variety of taster classes at the academy.

The school recently received almost £112,000 of new fitness equipment from Middlesbrough Healthy Town Programme Board which will be used to establish a unique teenage gym called a Youth Wellness Centre.

Twenty students from UCA have undergone an in-depth selection and interview process to be nominated as Junior Health Trainers.

They will help to run the centre when it opens later this year and to work within the local community.

Patricia Towey, Principal at UCA said: “The Olympic Challenge Day has proved a phenomenal success and has grown in size every year. “The overall aim is to get primary school pupils active, give them a taste of life at UCA and show them that learning can be exciting Brenda Thompson, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Public Health and Sport, added: We are delighted to be able to assist UCA in what we see as a ground-breaking programme of junior health trainers.

“The Olympic Challenge Day is the first of many examples of community involvement we believe will flow from our investment in the Wellness Centre and the training programmes at UCA.”