Budding athletes from Carden Primary School have given a unique sporting initiative their seal of approval.

Carden are one of the only primary schools in Brighton to employ a specialist PE teacher.

Katherine Coleman came to the school on a temporary basis in January when governors decided to raise the profile of sport.

She takes each year group for half a day per week with the emphasis on improving fitness.

It is an unusual step for a primary school but one which has already produced success.

Carden won the red division title and the throwing cup at the recent Brighton Primary Schools Championships at Withdean Stadium.

It is the first time the school has won an award at the annual competition, which featured more than 1,600 children from 24 different schools.

Jimmy Thomson, 11, won the 800m gold medal at the event and puts his success down to the work of Coleman.

He said: "Sport at the school has changed a lot since the new teacher joined. It has definitely got better and I really enjoy it.

"She has been timing me doing the 800m which didn't happen before and it has really helped me run faster."

Katherine Johnson, 11, competed in the 80m sprint and also says she enjoys sport a lot more since the new initiative was introduced.

She said: "We do a lot more sport now and I like it. Miss Coleman lets us do all kinds of things once a week and we all really look forward to it."

Coleman said: "It's great to hear the kids saying they enjoy PE because that was the aim of the school when they took me on.

"It is a unique position for a primary school and enables me to raise the profile of the subject.

"The teachers did a good job before but they did not have enough time to plan the lessons properly and do it justice.

"I take the children for a whole morning which allows me to really concentrate on helping them.

"That's why it was so good to win the Sussex Primary School Games. It shows that giving the children more of a focus on sport is working."

Coleman is quick to stress that her lessons are not just about playing games.

With obesity in children reported to have hit an all time high, Carden have put the emphasis on fitness and have found novel ways of making it enjoyable.

Coleman said: "We are obligated to teach the curriculum but we also try to teach the kids the importance of fitness.

"We do circuit training, which they love because we do it to Britney Spears. We also do cross-country which has proved very successful.

"The programme has been timely because of the reports about obesity and healthy living. The kids see it on the news and are more aware, so they have really taken on the whole fitness thing."

Coleman also believes the increased PE helps children who find studying difficult.

She added: "It raises self-esteem and gives a boost to children who are not doing so well with their academic work.

"It gives them another focus and allows them to excel in a subject, which they might not normally have the chance to do."