AS children across York go back to class for the last few months before the summer holidays, The Press is on the hunt for the city's best primary school project.

Once again, the Community Pride awards include a Primary School Project of the Year category which is sponsored by recycling company Yorwaste.

The award recognises any school project which has improved its surroundings or the environment in general, and the judges need your nominations to help highlight the hard work of youngsters, teachers and school helpers alike.

Yorwaste's managing director Steve Grieve said supporting the award helped them encourage recycling among children, and recognise the great work many schools do.

He said: “We have supported the York Community Pride Awards for several years now and we are once again pleased to be able to sponsor the best primary school project category.

“We have many of our main operations in York and we work a lot with schools to promote the importance of recycling and the positive effect it has on the environment, so this is the perfect category for us to support."

Last year, the shortlisted projects included a wildlife area at Bishopthorpe Infants School, a string of eco-minded schemes including litter picks and recycling drives at Tang Hall Primary school which eventually took the prize, and Carr Junior School's successful fight to save its swimming pool for the community.

Mr Grieve added: “We never cease to be amazed by the great work local children are doing to enhance their communities and we would encourage as many people as possible to nominate schools they feel are doing a great job improving their surroundings or the environment in general.”

Tang Hall's winning entry impressed the judges because of the simple but effective way it brought caring for the environment into the children's daily lives.

They said the project ensured thinking about the environment was second nature to children at Tang Hall because it was “ingrained in pupils to be green”.

- To make a nomination for the Primary School Project of the Year award, or any Community Pride category go to yorkpress.co.uk/pride

The Community Pride awards are sponsored by Benenden Health, and seek to recognise the hard working, dedicated, but unsung people of York who make a difference to life in the city. Nominees must live in the City of York Council area, or make a contribution to the city.