Worship award for St Peter and St Paul school

Bishop John Hind presented a certificate and award for the development of worship within the school, which is now among 50 out of 160 church schools within the diocese to have received this official recognition.

The ceremony was also attended by the Reverend David King of St Michael's church, in Glassenbury Drive, in his capacity of vice-chair of the board of governors.

Bishop John commented: "We have a number of special commendations that we give to schools that have excelled in some particular aspect of their work. This school has really worked hard over the last few years to improve the quality of its worship, and this commendation is to recognise what fantastic work has been done here."

He said he was "very happy" to take part in the ceremony and added: "The evidence is there in the attentiveness and devotedness and sense of focus that all the children seem to have. One can normally tell when you go in a place whether worship is genuine...it just feels so genuine here, and that is what has been done."

Head teacher Richard White was "thrilled" and said: "We are very pleased to receive the award of the bishop's commendation. It is basically the culmination of all the work we have done with worship in the school."