BUCKLAND Monachorum Primary School has been celebrating winning a special national award for encouraging its pupils in competitive sport.

St Andrew’s C of E Primary School is one of the first schools in Devon to win the National School Games Platinum Award.

The award is part of the School Games Mark, a Government-led awards scheme administered by national charity the Youth Sport Trust.

The platinum award is the new fourth level of the award scheme, introduced earlier this year to celebrate schools who had shown consistently high-levels of enthusiasm and commitment to school sport.

St Andrew’s deputy headteacher Justin Jones said: ‘We are extremely proud of all our pupils and together we all have a tremendous commitment to sport with a passion for high-quality PE, school sport and the arts.

‘This platinum award is further national recognition of excellent teamwork and our continued commitment to high quality PE and school sport at St Andrew’s.

‘Learning in, and through, school sport and physical education is crucial to the development of all young people and to be awarded platinum emphasises our consistency of purpose in developing the whole child and to reap the benefits of an active lifestyle.’