More than 200 pupils from Southfields Academy staged their own Games-style opening ceremony for the visiting London 2012 champions, before taking part in a range of sports, including rowing, water polo, trampolining, handball and softball.

Pupils, teachers and school colleagues also participated in a boccia school sport challenge, before pupils rounded off proceedings with a closing ceremony.

Rower Grainger, who won her first Olympic gold medal in London last year after winning silver at Beijing 2008, Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000, said the inspiration that young people found from last summer's Games was evident from her visit to the London school.

Olympic double sculls champion Katherine Grainger was on hand at the London school to help students brush up on their rowing techniques

"It has been fantastic to visit Southfields today and see the legacy of London 2012 for myself," she said.

"These pupils have been truly inspired by the Games and National School Sport Week and are eager to continue the celebrations and try out new sports.

"By helping pupils discover more sport and providing the opportunities both in and out of school to have a go and stay active, Lloyds TSB is helping a new generation to become active and potentially be the future stars of Team GB and ParalympicsGB."

This year marks the fifth year of Lloyds TSB's sponsorship of the week, and research has shown that the initiative is producing encouraging results.

Surveys last year showed that 64 per cent of pupils wanted to play more sport afterwards as a result of National School Sport Week and 85 per cent of participating children enjoyed National School Sport Week so much that they wanted to participate again in 2013.

Recent research from Lloyds TSB has shown that over three million - 79 per cent - of the 3.8 million pupils in England and Wales who participated in last year's week are now playing more sport than before, with 1.8 million - 49 per cent - physically joining a new club or team outside school and 2.1 million - 55 per cent - joining a new club or team in their school.

Richard Whitehead (second left) and Katherine Grainger (second right) hope to inspire more young people to get involved in sport as part of National School Sports Week

Bernard Mensah, head of physical education at Southfields Academy, hailed the occasion and claimed sport was having a positive impact on the behaviour and educational performance of students.

"We've been participating in National School Sport Week for five years and this year's event was a huge success for our school and enjoyed by teachers and students alike," he explained.

"As well as the impact the week has had on encouraging pupils to try new sports, including Paralympic sports such as boccia, which we used for our school sport challenge event, we've also witnessed first-hand the knock-on effect it's had on behaviour and learning.

"Our students have been thrilled to meet Katherine and Richard today and they will be really inspired to continue playing sport for some time."

John Steele, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, added: "National School Sport Week provides the perfect opportunity to encourage young people to get active, try new sports and improve their general health and wellbeing.

"The week can also be a great way to boost sports leadership and volunteering opportunities for young people, allowing them to build important life skills."

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