PUPILS and staff at a York primary academy are celebrating after securing a gold award in science.

Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy in Strensall has scooped the Primary Science Quality Mark GOLD Award, a national award scheme to develop and celebrate the quality of science teaching and learning in primary schools. Schools can achieve bronze, silver or gold and Robert Wilkinson has gone for gold.

Going for gold required the school to ensure that excellent practise was visible, sustained and evolving across the whole school and that their "excellent practise had a clear impact on partners beyond their own school".

Head teacher, Richard Ludlow, said: "The PSQM year was a lot of hard work but provided the children with the opportunities for many exciting learning experiences including a whole school science week entitled “A Week at Hogwarts!” where children investigated the magic of science through activities such as making potions and lava lamps and even dissecting owl pellets. After school science clubs were run for both the younger and the older children, including our STEM ( science, technology, engineering and maths)club where the Year 5 children designed, made and raced their own battery powered racing cars.

"Children across the school are involved in forest schools, gardening and cook-school activities as well as taking part in national competitions and initiatives such as the Textile Recycling Project and The Big Science Read.

"We are delighted to have been awarded the PSQM GOLD award, and Becky and I are looking forward to the formal award ceremony which will be held at the National Railway Museum , York in November."