Have you heard about 'parkrun primary'? This brilliant initiative was launched by Team GB Olympic hockey gold medallist and keen parkrunner Shona McCallin and parkrun CEO Elizabeth Duggan at a special junior parkrun assembly with teachers and pupils at Cricket Green Primary School in Mitcham, Surrey. The school took part in the pilot earlier this year and is now twinned with its local Figges Marsh junior parkrun event.

The new initiative, launched as children in England and Wales returned for their first full week back in school following the summer holidays, comes at a time when less than half of children meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. A recent study by the University of Exeter also revealed that one-fifth of children do not play outside during the weekend.

parkrun primary, which has been piloted with 17,000 school children over the last 12 months, will see schools formally link up with junior parkrun events. Schools will start by committing to a five-step programme which includes holding parkrun primary school assemblies and connecting with their local event before becoming an official ‘parkrun primary’.

From 12th September 2025, primary schools across the UK were able to register as a parkrun primary as the charity looks to play an even greater role in getting more children active and supporting their personal and social development. junior parkrun takes place every Sunday morning in 478 locations across the UK, with 107 taking place in areas of high deprivation.

Elizabeth Duggan, parkrun Interim CEO, said: “By bringing schools together with their local junior parkrun events, parkrun primary will create more opportunities for children to be active, outdoors at the weekend in a free, fun and accessible way."

Celia Dawson, Head, Cricket Green School, commented: “As a school, we’ve seen the benefits of being part of the parkrun primary pilot, so it’s a proud moment for everyone here to formally launch the programme at Cricket Green School."
 
parkrun primary has been developed as part of a £1.19 million partnership with the London Marathon Foundation, supported by London Marathon Events. This three-year partnership aims to expand junior parkrun across the UK. In the first year alone, 51 new junior parkruns were launched, and children across the UK completed over one million junior parkruns.

To learn more about becoming a parkrun primary, click here.

You can download a copy of the parkrun primary brochure for schools here.

junior parkrun approved photo courtesy of parkrun marketing