A PRIMARY school has been praised for its commitment to helping pupils get active.

More than 70 per cent of children at Acomb Primary School now walk, cycle or scooter to school and staff run regular events such as a bike breakfast club, themed activity days and a park and stride scheme as part of their bid to get the whole school moving.

Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Keith Orrell, presented a prestigious Gold STARS award for excellence in sustainable and active travel to staff and pupils at an assembly. Acomb Primary is only the third school in the city to receive one of the awards. Tom Dennis, class teacher and PE coordinator at the school, said: “We are thrilled to be awarded the Gold level STARS Award for our efforts to increase safe and sustainable travel to school. It really recognises the hard work done not only by the school, but also by the parents and children themselves to embrace this change towards cycling, scooting and walking.”

Erin Gray, Sustrans’ schools officer, said: “I’m so proud that Acomb Primary has won this award. They’ve worked incredibly hard to get more active on the school run and they really deserve to get this national recognition. Walking or cycling to school regularly gives children the exercise they need and also helps improve air quality and traffic congestion in York.”