TELEVISION presenter and author Clare Balding visited a Headington school yesterday to talk to pupils about her new book.

The award-winning presenter and voice of sport met with groups of children from two primaries at hosts Headington School after braving Oxford’s traffic jams.

She was there to discuss her book ‘The Racehorse who wouldn’t gallop’ and also spoke about her broadcasting experience. The Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils from Headington Preparatory School were joined by children from Windmill Primary School and St Andrew’s Primary School for the morning event as well as senior school Year 7 girls from Headington.

Its deputy head Simon Hawkes coordinated the event together with Blackwells. He said: “Clare was fantastic with the children and had them enraptured from the moment she walked into the school hall.

“Alongside fascinating insights into the Olympians she has met and admires, she had wonderfully positive messages for the children about resilience and aspiration.

“We are really grateful to Clare for braving the Oxford Monday morning traffic to come and talk to the children today and I think they all left the hall inspired and, of course, excited to start reading her book.”

Miss Balding spoke to the children for an hour before holding a question and answer session. After the talk children were each given a signed copy of the book. Headington Preparatory pupil, Elsa Norburn, 10, said: “I liked how Clare answered her questions and the slides and pictures she used.”

Her classmate, Ellie McDonough, 10, said: “There is only one word to describe her talk – amazing.”

The book tells the story of Charlie Bass, a horse-mad 10-year-old who dreams of owning her own pony, and was published September 22 last year.