London 2012 launches education toolkit

These materials, called 'On your Marks!' are the first step in the development of the London 2012 Education Programme and will be available online on the London 2012 website.

Daley Thompson, a London 2012 Education Ambassador, today launched this resource with some of the local teachers and school children from Morpeth Secondary School in Tower Hamlets. This took place at the Idea Store in Whitechapel a state of the art flagship library, learning and information service in the borough of Tower Hamlets.

The 'On Your Marks!' website provides schools and young people across the UK with a range of up to date information about the Games including factsheets, news articles and a bank of images for use at home or in school.

Targeted at 7-14 year olds, it also provides a number of cross-curricular teaching ideas to help teachers and support staff to integrate these resources into their teaching within the classroom.

An interactive element of the site will also allow teachers to share their own ideas.

The 'On Your Marks' website is the first step in the development of the London 2012 Education Programme. This will be developed in conjunction with key national education partners including the DfES, British Olympic Foundation and British Paralympic Association and will promote the Olympic and Paralympic values and offer a wide variety of opportunities for young people to engage and be inspired by the Games across sport, culture and education.

Double Olympic gold medallist Daley said: "The London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be an exciting and once in a lifetime experience that will benefit young people. We want every young person right across the UK to get involved with sport and the Games and to realise all the fantastic opportunities they provide. These materials are just a starting point for how we can achieve that."

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee said: "I am determined that young people should feel inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They can and will engage young people right across the curriculum through sport, culture and education. We're really keen that the Games capture the imagination of young people all over the country and this can begin to happen now with the launch of this resource today."

Schools Minister, Jim Knight MP said: "The 2012 Games are a great opportunity for partners to work together to enhance the learning of young people right across the country and to motivate them to achieve their potential. We are delighted to have worked with the London 2012 Organising Committee on this set of materials. They are a first step in really engaging schools, colleges and young people in the Games, and I know both teachers and students will find them very useful."

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Notes to Editors

The new set of materials, called 'On Your Marks!', has been produced by the London 2012 Organising Committee with the support of the British Olympic Foundation (BOF), British Paralympic Association (BPA), Department of Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), Department for Education & Skills, England (DfES), Department of Education, Northern Ireland (DENI), Scottish Executive Education Department (Scottish Executive) and Welsh Assembly Government (WAG).

The Department for Education and Skills is leading work to maximise the national education and skills benefits of the 2012 Games. More information on their plans is available on the Department for Education and Skills website.

Idea Stores, Tower Hamlets Council have created a network of adult education, library and information services, in 7 state-of-the-art buildings, all in local shopping centres.

These buildings are more than just a library or a place of learning. As well as the traditional library service, much valued by residents, they offer a wide range of adult education classes, along with career support, training, a creche, meeting areas, cafes and arts and leisure pursuits.

For further information please call the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100