TWO girls from at York primary school have won prizes in a global poetry and foreign language competition which attracted entries from 250 schools in 11 countries.

Isla, ten, picked up a highly commended certificate for her artwork and Amelia, 11, was category winner for her recital, spoken in Spanish and submitted as a video.

Nieves Sadullah, is the Spanish teacher at Haxby Road Primary Academy, where the girls are pupils.

She said: “I am really proud of them and of all our children who entered – they were all so engaged and committed to the project.

“It just shows that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”

This is the second year of the Poésiæ competition with strong competition from bilingual and independent schools across the globe.

At Haxby Road, Year 5 and 6 children take part in enrichment activities from 3.15 to 4.15pm as part of their normal school day and it was during this time that Mrs Sadullah inspired the children to unleash their imagination on the competition.

She said: “We took a Spanish poem about the months of the year and what happens in them as a starting point.

“We played with it, provided props to go with it and turned it into a board game – even rapped with it! It boosted children’s confidence and even children who don’t normally read at home learned it off by heart.”

Children at the younger end of the school helped with the initial judging before the entries – either a video recital or art work - were submitted.

Haxby Road Primary Academy is part of Ebor Academy Trust, which operates seven primary schools in York – Robert Wilkinson, Lakeside, Park Grove, Hob Moor Oaks, Hob Moor Primary and Osbaldwick. Ebor also has schools in Selby, on the Yorkshire Coast and in the East Riding and Hull.