Schools fail to sign up for 2012 tickets

[divingbrit]

Tens of thousands of children are set to miss out on free Olympic tickets, according to figures obtained by the Standard.

Only half of London's schools have signed up for Boris Johnson's £2.5million giveaway of 125,000 Olympic and Paralympic seats.

The Mayor today urged more schools to join the scheme. They must sign up to teach lessons on Olympic values to qualify.

The poor take-up of the scheme suggests Mr Johnson will miss his target of getting one in eight London pupils to the Games free of charge by the December 16 enrolment deadline. The lowest subscription is in Kensington and Chelsea where only one school in five has signed up.

The capital presents a mixed picture. Also lagging behind are Hounslow (28 per cent signed up), Haringey (33 per cent) and Lambeth - the constituency of the Mayor's sports commissioner, MP Kate Hoey - with 37 per cent.

The most enthusiastic boroughs are Greenwich on 92 per cent, Barking & Dagenham 89 per cent and Enfield with 87 per cent.

Unused tickets from boroughs will be passed on to those where there is higher demand. The tickets are paid for with a £25 surcharge on each package sold by official hospitality package agent Prestige.

It remains unclear whether all 125,000 tickets can be supplied as this depends on Prestige hitting undisclosed sales targets.

Prestige will fund about £2million of Olympic and £400,000-£500,000 of Paralympic tickets.

Critics blamed the low sign-up on the failure to promote the giveaway since its launch 14 months ago.

To qualify, a school must accept the London 2012 "Get Set" education tool kit to help introduce Olympic values into lessons. Tickets will be allocated typically for groups of 10 children - both primary and secondary - accompanied by a teacher. Headteachers are free to decide which of their pupils get tickets.

Mr Johnson said: "I urge parents and teachers to ensure their school signs up so we can put as many London kids as possible at the heart of the action next summer."

Dee Doocey, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Olympic spokewoman said: "It is essential that all schools have an equal chance to take part in
the Get Set scheme.

"I would encourge any school that has not yet
signed up to do so as soon as possible."

Evening Standard