Why Nancy Reuben pupils are on the run

VA NEW programme at Nancy Reuben Primary in Hendon aims to get children off to a healthy start to the day.

Pupils are encouraged to sign up to the Daily Mile, completing 13 laps of the school playground before lessons begin.

They can walk, jog or even scooter round. One child has brought a minibicycle.

The Daily Mile was originally the idea of a headteacher in Scotland, Elaine Willey, and Nancy Reuben adopted it after a parent heard about it on on BBC Radio London.

“The aim of the Daily Mile is to improve the physical, social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing of children, regardless of age, ability or personal circumstances,” explained headteacher Anthony Wolfson.

“With schools putting increasing emphasis on physical and mental health, this scheme, which costs nothing, encourages exercise and social interaction in the fresh air and reinvigorates the start of each school day.”

Deputy head Daniel Sunshine has added an extra element to the programme with the “Walking to Jerusalem” challenge. “Each pupil who signs up to the challenge commits themselves to walking one mile in the playground for a period of roughly three months,” he said.

And there is an educational element to it. While Jerusalem is the

VCLIFTON COLLEGE in Bristol has appointed its first Jewish chaplain to look after the 32 Jewish students who attend the preparatory and senior school.

She is Rabbi Anna Gerrard, formerly rabbi of Gloucestershire Liberal Jewish Community and outreach director of Liberal Judaism.

The school maintained a Jewish boarding house, Polack’s, for 127 years until 2005.

After the closure of the house, the school opened the Polack’s Centre to serve the remaining Jewish students and engaged a Jewish life co-ordinator to eventual destination, children have to go through different cities in Europe along the way.

Each child is asked to choose a city and then give a presentation on it in assembly once they have reached it along their “trek”.

The school’s head of pastoral care and Jewish studies, Rabbi Joshua Conway, who was interviewed on the Vanessa Feltz show this week (the presenter has two grandchildren at oversee Friday night dinners, synagogue services and festival celebrations.

Rabbi Gerrard said she was attracted to the position because “it enables me to build on my experience as a congregational rabbi in a new and different setting”.

The role, she said, was “a unique opportunity because Clifton College is the only boarding school in the country with its own synagogue. Pupils can come to the college and be fully part of wider college life and have a Jewish life here at the same time.”

Her plans include trips for Jewish pupils, establishing closer ties with the city’s Jewish community and possibly adding Hebrew to the curriculum. the school) said it was already seeing the benefits.

“If children run, walk or skip just 15 minutes a day, roughly a mile, it will improve their focus, concentration and behaviour,” he said.

Some children, he added, were already asking parents “Please, please can I arrive to school earlier because we want more time to complete the laps.”

She will also be involved in the college’s general religious studies curriculum and speak on topics of Jewish interest at assemblies.

Clifton headmaster Tim Greene said “We are delighted Anna has become the first rabbi to join the chaplaincy team.

“The presence of a strong and vibrant Jewish community within the school has always been a great strength and is part of the heritage of

Clifton.”

Rabbi Anna Gerrard