Youth Sport Trust CEO Ali Oliver MBE celebrated the start of National School Sports Week by welcoming some famous faces to Kensington Primary School in East London. 

Olympian Jess Piasecki, former two-weight Women’s Thai-boxing world number one Rachael Mackenzie and Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan MP all attended the launch of this year's campaign. 

Kensington Primary School celebrated the start of National School Sports Week by cheering on headteacher Ben Levinson OBE as he ran an ultra-marathon and taking part in an array of different sporting activities. 

National School Sports Week is a campaign run by children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust. 

In a bid to drive up awareness of the Chief Medical Officers’ guidance and boost children’s physical activity levels, the charity is this week hoping to get more children ‘playing for fun, playing for 60’ between 19 and 25 June.

Originally launched in 2008 by the national children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust, National School Sports Week attempts to champion the role of PE, physical activity, and school sports in allowing all pupils to reach their full potential.

Oliver believes there is no better time to teach young people about the importance of getting 60 active minutes a day. 

"We have a vision of every child enjoying the life-changing benefits of playing sport," she said. 

"We champion the importance of children being active and make sure that school sport is inclusive and relevant to every challenge. 

"During National School Sports Week we do two things. 

"We celebrate the great things that are happening, just as we are at Kensington Primary School. 

"But importantly we also raise awareness of significant issues." 

This year, National School Sports Week, powered by Sports Slam in partnership with Sports Direct is themed around ‘playing for fun, playing for 60,’.

The week is aiming to drive up awareness of the Chief Medical Officers’ recommendation that children should be active for a minimum of 60 minutes a day to stay happy and healthy.

And Oliver insists National School Sports Week is more important than ever with concerns of a growing number of threats to the well-being of young people. 

She added: "We are on the verge of a generational crisis of well-being. 

"Whether that is children being at risk of obesity, physical illness or if it's mental health and the impact of mental health, anxiety and isolation. 

"Playing sport has such a huge role in developing healthy, happy learners who do well in life and do well in the classroom." 

The Youth Sport Trust is a UK leading children’s charity for improving young people's wellbeing through sport and play. It empowers young people and equips educators to transform lives. Founded in 1995, it works with around 20,000 schools and inspires Changemakers to build a sense of belonging. Its vision is to create a future where every child enjoys the life-changing benefits of play and sport. Visit the Youth Sport Trust website for ideas, tips and information www.youthsporttrust.org.