Thousands of pupils in Wandsworth will be watching the world’s greatest athletes and sports stars in action, after it was announced that 3,025 tickets to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be shared among 90 borough schools.
 
Wandsworth Council led a borough-wide drive for schools to become members of the Get Set network – making them eligible for free tickets to the epic sporting spectacle when it commences in London this summer.
 
Last Friday, twenty nine secondary schools and colleges across the borough were told they will be receiving a total of 2,443 tickets, while 61 primary schools were informed they will be getting 582.
 
Each school will have been told exactly how many they have been allocated as part of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ (LOCOG) Ticketshare programme for 10 to 18 year olds.
 
In Wandsworth, the tickets have been split roughly proportionally between Olympic football, the other 25 Olympic sports and the Paralympics.
 
Wandsworth Council’s cabinet member for education and children’s services, Councillor Kathy Tracey, said: “It is fantastic to see that so many schools across the borough responded to our calls to register for free tickets by joining the Get Set network.
 
“Watching the Games will be a once in a lifetime experience for thousands of our pupils and they have every reason to be excited.
 
“I hope that seeing their sporting and athletics heroes compete against the world’s best will be a source of inspiration to those chosen to attend as to what can be achieved through hard work and dedication.”
 
Next month, LOCOG will confirm further details with each school, including the number of tickets for accompanying adults, and also which sports, session dates, times and venues their tickets will be for.
 
Each school has already been given guidelines by LOCOG advising staff how to decide which of their students attend.
 
Through a levy on prestige ticketing packages, 125,000 tickets have been allocated to eligible London schools that joined the Get Set network before last December’s deadline.
 
Up to 50,000 were provided directly by the network while an additional 75,000 were contributed by the Mayor of London, in partnership with LOCOG.
 
The Get Set network is a special community of schools and colleges which are demonstrating a commitment to Olympic and Paralympic values by inspiring pupils of all ages to get involved in projects and activities promoting values such as friendship, respect and courage.
 
Members of the network also receive the right to use the London 2012 Education logo on their school/college sign, headed paper, website and newsletter – as well as being offered other exclusive opportunities including visits from Olympians and Paralympians.
 

February 6, 2012