PUPILS from a York primary school have been making a difference in the community – by helping clean up a nearby park.

Armed with their litter pickers, the children from Haxby Road Primary Academy have been tracking down and disposing of rubbish that has accumulated at the edges of Dodsworth Park, with the help of police community support officers.

“These are our ‘Restorative Practice’ experts,” said Haxby Road’s acting head of school, Rachel Malster-Hinett, “Restorative Practice is an approach used by all our children and staff, to restore relationships, resolve issues positively and build community both in and outside of school.

“A huge part of being a Restorative Practice expert is the ability to act as a role model for other people, with the aim of making a difference.

"Using their citizenship skills taught in school, the RP experts decided that they wanted to take community action by working alongside the PCSOs to make their local park a safer and cleaner place to play.”

CLICK HERE FOR GALLERY OF OLD PHOTOS FROM HAXBY ROAD SCHOOL

One of the Haxby Road pupils, Danny, aged 11, said: “I feel really proud because I am using my RP skills to help the community outside school.”

Jainya, aged seven, said: “It makes me feel happy because we are helping the environment and if we and others do this it will make a bigger change in the world.”

Haxby Road is part of Ebor Academy Trust, which operates 24 schools across York, Selby, the East Riding and The Humber and the Yorkshire Coast.

Today Ebor schools, in York also include Robert Wilkinson, Hob Moor Primary Academy, Hob Moor Oaks and Lakeside Primary Academy, Park Grove Primary and Osbaldwick Primary.