School table tennis coaching wins national award

All children in years five and six receive table tennis coaching

A school in west Cornwall has won a national award in recognition of its table tennis training programme.

St Just Primary runs weekly sessions and was named by Table Tennis England as its "School of the Year". 

More than 140 schools were nominated for the award at a ceremony in Nottingham.

Teachers said all children in years five and six receive coaching and leave school able to play the sport to a good standard.

Coach, David May, is proud the school has been recognised for its table tennis training

An after school club has led to a regular stream of very good players, who can then progress to playing against adults in the West Cornwall League, they added.

Four youngsters are soon to play representing Cornwall in the national schools individual championships.

Two play for the county junior team and the under-13 girls, all former pupils, are south west champions.

The school's table tennis coach, David May, said he was amazed such a small school could win the award, and the recognition that goes with it.

He said: "This is a little school of 200, within sight of Land's End, and do we ever win awards like this?

"I was sitting at the ceremony... thinking, 'what am I doing here?', but luckily people realised you can actually have good stuff going on, even in remote places and small schools."