PUPILS in Wantage are thriving on the tennis court after changes were made to the way the sport was coached.

King Alfred’s School are involved in a new LTA initiative, supported by a £10,000 grant from Tennis Oxfordshire.

The three-year programme focuses on making the sport more engaging, while the school’s courts have been refurbished, and new nets and rackets provided.

One of the aims is for children to become leaders within a group to help coaches teach younger pupils.

Tennis Oxfordshire’s Mark Wilkinson said: “The idea is that they will become ambassadors for tennis within the school.

“It is also a great way of developing links between the school, its pupils and Wantage Lawn Tennis Club.”

Sean McCullough, who is leading the tennis initiative at King Alfred’s, added. “The programme has two more years to run but the school is already seeing results. We believe this could be the future for tennis training across all Oxfordshire secondary schools.”