Release date: 08 September 2026
West Sussex County Council is helping children to get active with funding to upgrade playgrounds at two Crawley primary schools.
The county council partnered with the London Marathon Foundation and Active Sussex to secure £4,000 through the London Marathon Foundation's Active Playgrounds initiative for Southgate Primary School and Broadfield Primary School. Each school received £2,000 to install colourful playground markings designed to encourage children to be active throughout the school day, and were selected based on local insight, including where additional support could help create more opportunities for children to be active.
The partnership is also supporting all schools across West Sussex to sign up to The Daily Mile – a free initiative that encourages children to run, wheel or walk together for 15 minutes during the school day, helping them build healthy habits and enjoy being active. Local schools were also encouraged to take part in the ‘2026 TCS Mini London Marathon in Schools’, another free initiative that gives pupils the opportunity to run, wheel or walk two miles within their own school grounds, finishing the challenge all at once or split across multiple days.
Out of the 80 schools that took in the county, Crawley recorded the highest participation of any area across Sussex in the 2026 TCS Mini London Marathon in Schools, with 13 schools in the borough taking part. Southgate Primary School's Assistant Headteacher, Gary Smallman, also ran this year's TCS London Marathon.
Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Ian Davey, said:
"Helping children to be active every day is one of the simplest and most effective ways we can support their physical health, mental wellbeing and readiness to learn.
"We're delighted to be working with the London Marathon Foundation, Active Sussex and schools across the county to support this programme. The investment in Southgate Primary School and Broadfield Primary School demonstrates how targeted support can help create more opportunities for children to be active, particularly in areas where it can make the greatest difference."
Gary Smallman, Assistant Headteacher at Southgate Primary School, said:
"Keeping children active is vital for their health, wellbeing and learning, and the new playground markings have made a real difference. They have encouraged more pupils to get moving, be creative in their play and enjoy being active together throughout the school day. It's fantastic to see children making the most of the new spaces and developing healthy habits that we hope will stay with them for years to come."
Frances White, Children and Young People Engagement Lead for London and the Southeast at the London Marathon Foundation, said:
"Our vision is to inspire activity, and our work with West Sussex County Council and Active Sussex is helping to make that a reality for more children across the county.
"Whether through the two new Active Playgrounds in Crawley, the West Sussex schools that took part in the 2026 Tata Consultancy Services Mini London Marathon in Schools or The Daily Mile, it has been fantastic to see children embracing simple, fun ways to build more movement into their everyday lives."
Schools interested in joining The Daily Mile can find out more and register through The Daily Mile website.
Further information about the ‘TCS Mini London Marathon in Schools’ is available through the London Marathon Foundation website.
Pictured: Pupils at Southgate Primary School celebrate their new Active Playground.
