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Cutting-edge technology aimed at tackling childhood obesity and encouraging school kids to get more active is being used in a local primary school.
Cecil Road primary in Gravesend is one of a select few schools to roll out a new anti-obesity intervention programme piloted by Dartford-based tech company, The Hug Group.
The tracker takes the form of a small pedometer which clips onto the uniform of children and monitors their activity as a class.
Known as the StepITS Programme, the data is then fed through to teachers who can monitor levels through an interactive web-based dashboard.
The tech firm, which is based at the Nucleus Innovation Centre in Brunel way, Dartford, say pedometer-based intervention programmes lead to a 20% increase in daily activity levels.
Data can also be used by schools to showcase their activity levels to Ofsted and other education officials.
Teachers can set goals based on their current learning programme and reward children with certificates detailing their achievements.
For example children learning about the Roman Colosseum will be told how many steps it would take complete one lap of the amphitheatre.
Parents can also request access to the data to see how well their child's class is performing.
Members of the Hug Group attended a school assembly at Cecil Road yesterday as part of National Fitness Day to check on year five and six pupils who have been wearing the pedometer.
Cecil Road school’s sport co-ordinator Mark Neville said: "StepITS has played a massive role within the school in trying to get children active.
"It has been a big help that I can actually monitor them. I am not with them throughout the day but I can now check their activity levels at lunch and break times and see how we can get them more active in lessons as well."
"The children have loved it to the point every single day they keep badgering their teachers and pushing their friends to be more active."
The school recently received a platinum School Games Mark award for their commitment to the delivery of school sport.
Each years schools are awarded bronze, silver or gold but can apply for a platinum award if they consecutively gain gold for four or more years running.
Mark said: "We are the first school in Gravesham to achieve this and there are only about 150 schools in the country who have done this.
"A big part of this is providing the children with sporting opportunities and trying to keep them active and healthy."
One member of the team at the Hug Group knows what it's like to overcome adversity having picked up Young Person of the Year award at the Dartford Business Awards for his commitment to improving disabled access to sport.
Charlie Randell gave an inspirational speech to the children about how he overcame his personal physical struggles to become a self-proclaimed 'fitness fanatic'.
Addressing the students he said: "Just because you have a sore arm or a sore leg doesn't mean you can't do an activity. It just means you might have to approach it a bit differently."
Charlie is a keen swimmer who narrowly missed out on a place in the GB Paralympic swimming squad.
He set up a Youtube channel to share his experiences and is also an AccessAble champion for Kent.
"I try to inspire people to get active, whether it be getting into the gym, into the swimming pool or into a sport. Just get active and get moving."
