A PE teacher has explained how he has been able to keep his pupils fit and focused this year - and praised the kids for their attitude and enthusiasm.

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown up all sorts of challenges in schools for both children and teachers.

For weeks upon weeks, youngsters were off school, cooped up in their homes during a tough lockdown.

When schools were given the green light to fully reopen again in September, Liam Wanless, a PE teacher at Parkside Community Primary School in Borehamwood, wanted to ensure pupil's mental health and wellbeing was as good as it can be - and decided getting them fit and active was the way forward.

%image('12148256', type='article-full', caption='Parkside pupils dressing in yellow to support Mental Health Awareness Day', alt='Parkside pupils dressing in yellow to support Mental Health Awareness Day')

Mr Wanless, who has two young children of his own, has gone the extra mile to arrange a host of fun activities designed to improve the wellbeing of children at Parkside, with the support of senior staff.

The school has been working with coaches from Watford football club, year 3 and 4 pupils have been taught aerobics, pupils have been given health bands which records how much exercise they have been doing, while there have been dance workshops, and others have taken part in social media star Joe Wicks' lockdown workouts.

%image('12148257', type='article-full', caption='Social media star Joe Wicks retweeted Parkside Community Primary School', alt='Social media star Joe Wicks retweeted Parkside Community Primary School')

Mr Wanless has also created an outdoor gym, secure new kits for the school in September through the Premier League Primary Stars scheme, and introduced a new PE star of the week award, while two cardio walls have recently been installed.

%image('12148258', type='article-full', caption='Mr Wanless says pupils 'love' the new cardio walls', alt='Mr Wanless says pupils 'love' the new cardio walls')%image('12148259', type='article-full', caption='Parkside pupils taking part in a penalty shootout at Vicarage Road stadium in Watford before the pandemic', alt='Parkside pupils taking part in a penalty shootout at Vicarage Road stadium in Watford before the pandemic')

Mr Wanless said: "I want children to want to get active, get fit, and enjoy. To try and get children engaged in PE whether it be football, dance, gymnastics.

"In lockdown, it would have been hard and some children may not have that open space. Some of the kids were excited about coming back to school.

"The children have been through a lot but they've handled this so well and I couldn't be more proud of what they have been accomplishing."

%image('12148260', type='article-full', caption='Children taking part in outdoor activity at Parkside', alt='Children taking part in outdoor activity at Parkside')

He added: "I'd like to thank staff, the leadership team. Anything I've thought would push the school forward, they’ve supported me and the idea.

"And we've always had support from parents. It's lovely to be part of a school that's more than being locked away in a classroom."