YOUNGSTERS took to the water for the latest handover of the Dorchester Area Schools Partnership’s Olympic torch.

The torch has been doing the rounds of schools in the Dorchester area over the last few months and Dorchester Learning Centre chose the venue of this summer’s Olympic Sailing events to pass it on to Winterbourne Valley First School.

The hand over ceremony took place at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy as staff and pupils headed out to Weymouth harbour on three boats.

Lorraine Greenham, from the Dorchester Learning Centre, said staff and pupils from both schools enjoyed the experience, with students summing up the morning as ‘awesome’.

She added: “Both staff and students were proud to have been part of the DASP relay.”

Year Four pupils from Winterbourne Valley First School represented the school as they received the torch.

Headteacher Rachel Horne said: “We had a fantastic morning and the children all thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Mrs Horne said the school now has a packed programme of Olympic themed activities before it hands over the torch to Sunninghill Preparatory School on Thursday.

She said: “We are planning a special Olympic assembly then the children will be working in class on the imagery behind the Olympic rings and the Olympic values.

“On Thursday we will be handing over to Sunninghill Preparatory School by walking with both schools up to the top of Maiden Castle and forming a human Olympics.

“Then hopefully, weather permitting, we will have an Army helicopter coming to take an aerial photograph of the handover.”

Mrs Horne said the whole school was now getting excited about the Olympics, with less than 200 days to go to the Games and the DASP torch had generate that excitement.

She said: “It’s been a really good initiative for lots of reasons. Not only does it bring all the schools together, it signifies the beginning of the Olympic year to all the students.”