SCHOOL children from English Bicknor C.E.V.C primary school in Coleford will help form part of the Guard of Honour which will line the route as athletes make their way through the Olympic Park into the main stadium for the London 2012 Olym­pic Games Opening Ceremony later this month.

The pupils, who have been selected through the rewards and recognition programme of the Get Set Network – the official London 2012 education programme.

As well as having the opportunity to cheer on the world's best athletes, under the gaze of an international audience numbered in the hundreds of millions, the children will also get the chance to tour the Olympic Park and see some of the London 2012 venues, before the media – and the world – turn their attention to the much anticipated Olympic Opening Ceremony, created by film-maker Danny Boyle.

The Athletes' Parade which the children will flank, will see the participating teams enter the Olympic Stadium, nation by nation. Teams will enter in alphabetical order, except for the Greek team which enters first because of the ancient historical origins of the Games, and the British team who, as hosts, will enter last.

Chair of the London 2012 Games, Lord Sebastian Coe said: The presence of so many young people at the start of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony will continue to show London 2012's commitment to put young people at the heart of the Games." He added: "For athletes, the Guard of Honour will provide a stunning welcome to the Games and the perfect curtain-raiser for the Athletes' Parade."

The English Bicknor students will join others from 249 schools across the UK to make up the 2,000 student Guard of Honour, and they will line the route holding lanterns and banners that they have made to support one of the 204 competing teams. For many of the 10,500 athletes the Parade will be their first experience of the London 2012 Games.