Pupils and staff wore themselves out by trying out a number of different ways to get healthy and keep fit last week.

Children and teenagers at Iffley Mead Special School in East Oxford were speed skipping, playing skate hockey, football, new age curling and joining the Army for circuit training, during a day of sports last Wednesday.

The secondary school, which teaches pupils with a range of learning difficulties and complex needs, was launching its bid for Healthy School status.

As part of the day pupils had a visit from their community beat police officer to discuss the issues surrounding illegal drugs.

Deputy headteacher Fran Swainston said the hockey had proved a big hit, especially with the older teenagers.

She said: "It was amazing. They all got geared up in their pads and hats and they loved it. There were half-hour slots for each activity, and it just went on all day long and they were exhausted by the end of it, but they absolutely loved it.

"All the staff joined in as well. They were skipping, playing hockey. It was really good an excellent day."

Under the government's healthy school award system, schools must achieve minimum standards in four criteria healthy eating and drinking, comprehensive personal, social and health education, physical activity and emotional health and well-being.

Ms Swainston said: "We are working hard towards it and I am pretty sure that by next term we should achieve it."

Former heavyweight boxer John McCormack was one of those invited to the school to introduce the children to a new way to get healthy.

His 'Skip 2 B Fit' programme, which also visited SS Philip and James Primary School in North Oxford last week, armed the pupils with counting skipping ropes and challenged them to better their skips-per-minute scores over the following six weeks.

Mr McCormack said the programme, which was praised by Witney MP and Conservative leader David Cameron when he saw it in action at Blake Primary School in Witney last month, was all about teaching kids that exercise needn't be boring.

He said: "If you want to improve you can improve, and Skip 2 B Fit is all about improvement."

Schools interested in the skipping programme should visit www.skip2bfit.com