Southfields Academy pupils received some expert tuition from a couple of London 2012 gold medallists last week.

Olympic Games rowing hero Katherine Grainger and Paralympic Games sprinter Richard Whitehead visited at the start of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week - a week-long celebration throughout England and Wales designed to get more kids playing sport.

Pupils tried their hand at handball, softball, basketball, water polo, trampolining, boccia and rowing, under the expert guidance of Grainger, who won women’s double sculls alongside Anna Watkins last summer.

"It was brilliant because there is genuinely so much enthusiasm coming from the kids to get involved in sport," said Grainger.

"And the lovely thing is that, through School Sport Week, they get to try new sports that they maybe haven’t done before and there are lots of things to choose from.

"Bits of the week are competitive while other parts are just kids trying something new and it is just really fun and everyone seemed to love it.

"With such huge numbers taking part, someone in there has got to be good at it so who knows where their journey will finish?

"But the key thing is just getting them involved because, sometimes, sport can be quite intimidating if you don’t think you are going to be good at it, but this allows them to be introduced to loads of new sports and who knows where it will take them?"

And T42 200m gold-medal winner Whitehead felt the event was a major part of driving home the legacy of the Games.

"For me, it is a great celebration of what happened last year and it is an opportunity for the next generation of young people to access new sporting opportunities," he said.

"I feel that this is where the real legacy is and, as athletes, we should give our time to help start these young people’s journeys."

Receiving some expert advice was 15-year-old Southfields Academy pupil Tia Rankine, who volunteered during the Paralympics at the British Gardens.

"I love National School Sport Week and think it is a great idea because it is a chance to show younger kids what is out there and explain that they have more choices," she said.

"I am playing sport but I am also volunteering because I think it is important to help out when you can and show off these great new sports."

Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week, Britain's biggest school sporting event, took place from June 24-28. Support your local school and help continue to encourage more young people to do more sport. To find out more visit lloydstsb.com/nssw.