Okehampton Community and Recreation Association (OCRA) facilitated the recent PE liaison teachers’ meeting in Tavistock.

OCRA school sports’ co-ordinator Mhairi McCall and general manager Ian Blythe met with the teachers and staff from local primary schools around Tavistock.

The variety and frequency of the events OCRA provide have assisted in the recent success achieved by many of the local primary schools as part of the nationally recognised School Games Mark Award Scheme.

The School Games Mark is a government-led awards scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community. Participating in this process allows schools to evaluate their PE provision and assists them in developing an action plan for future progress. This is done by measuring overall participation, competition entry, community and club engagement and the utilisation of pupils in leading activities.

At the meeting, the School Games Mark Awards for 2018/19 were presented to the schools listed below by Jeanette Green, West Devon and South Hams school games organiser.

Platinum: St Andrew’s, Buckland Monachorum. Gold: Gulworthy, Lamerton, St Peter’s, Whitchurch. Silver: Mary Tavy and Brentor.

Okehampton Area Schools, also part of the OCRA School Sports Group, will be presented with the following awards at their first meeting.

Gold: Boasley Cross, Bridestowe, Exbourne, Northlew and Ashbury. Silver: South Tawton.

Mhairi McCall of OCRA hopes that all schools will eventually enter the School Games Mark Scheme.

She said: ‘With all the sports events that the schools currently partake in and the hard work of the school staff, there is no reason why every school in the area will not earn a platinum award as St Andrew’s has.’