Gymnastic stars of the future could be taking their first leaps towards the top at a mini centre of excellence at Marion Richardson Primary School in one of the Olympic Boroughs for the London 2012 Games.

Sport England invested £295,200 in improved facilities for sport and the arts at Marion Richardson and nearby Seven Mills Primary School through the Space for Sport and Arts programme. The schools are both located in Tower Hamlets, one of the most ethnically diverse and deprived boroughs in London.

The schools are renowned for excellence in gymnastics and dance, with activities led by Sport England’s 2004 Community Coach of the Year Bob Bellew. Community groups also use the facilities for a range of sport and arts activities, including street dance. Groups from the school and the community have been asked to perform on a number of high profile stages, including the Albert Hall and Trafalgar Square.

Matthew Delaney, Director of Sport England London, said: “Marion Richardson and Seven Mills are true examples of excellence in PE and school sport. The head teachers and staff provide inspirational leadership and sport – and the arts - play a prominent role both in the curriculum and after school activities.  We were delighted to be able to support their work through this investment in their facilities and look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.”

The two schools are just five minutes apart and as the funded facilities complement each other, they are able to share the benefits by using each others’ premises.

Marion Richardson has a new multi-use games area used for a variety of sports and its three halls have been modernised to provide theatre equipment, staging, retractable seating and lighting as well as wall bars and gym equipment.

At nearby Seven Mills, the extension and modernisation of the main hall brought new equipment for arts and physical activity, toilets and improved disabled access.

Outside the play courts were re-surfaced, new court markings were put down, adjustable basketball and netball posts were erected, a rebound wall was built and new ramps were installed for wheelchair users.

Marion Richardson/Seven Mills factfile

• School Sports Co-ordinator and gymnastics coach Bob Bellew was Sport England’s community coach of the year award in 2004
• Youngsters from ten schools in the area attend classes at Marion Richardson’s mini centre of excellence for gymnastics
• Both schools take part in a number of national programmes and Marion Richardson was the first primary school in the country to win a double ActiveMark Gold Award for excellence in PE and school sport
• Marion Richardson also won an Inclusion School Award in 2004 when it was also named ‘Mainstream School of the Year’ by the London Sports Forum