Local primary school celebrating after achieving silver award for community work

STUDENTS AND staff at a school in Pontypool have been celebrating after being honoured with a special award for their work in the community.

Pupils and staff at George Street Primary School were also celebrating this week after receiving the silver Heart of the Community award due to their community work.

The award was given by the Foundation of Community Engagement, a charity that supports schools to build effective partnerships with parents, families, and the community.

Staff have set up a baby and toddler group at the school for parents to get to know each other, worked with local charities to deliver food parcels to families, run coffee mornings and afternoons and promoted local activities in the school’s weekly newsletter.

The school applied for the bronze award but after providing a portfolio of evidence of their community work, the school was awarded silver.

Headteacher Keri Manley said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded a silver award for the Heart of the Community.

“It has been my passion this year to strengthen the school’s community focus and I feel we have really made it a priority. We have many plans for next year too and I’m excited to continue to build on this year’s work.”

Nicola Cowley, whose son attends the school, said: “My son has benefitted massively from George Street Primary’s community work, in experiencing different sports in local environments especially because we found a local rugby for him to join and 3 years later he’s thriving.

“Also, expanding his knowledge on different topics like racial inclusion from guest speakers, and the big Christmas event where families were invited to the celebration where smiles and memories were made to treasure.”

Christina Woods, inclusion lead, said: “We had a fantastic community focus before Covid but unfortunately due to restrictions this focus decreased.

"We are now working hard to reinstate our community work, and having recognition for all we do is a privilege, this work will continue as we want our doors to be open to the community.”