A PRIMARY school has become the first in Rossendale to win the highest accolade for physical education.

Balladen Community Primary School, in Linden Lea, Rawtenstall, has won the Lancashire Physical Education Gold Mark.

It beat 20 other schools from Rossendale to win the gold standard and is now one of only 15 schools in Lancashire with the accolade.

To earn the top gold award, the school have to provide at least two hours of physical education to every pupil as well as high participation levels in a range of inter-school competitions.

Headteacher Pete Sumner said: “This award is a true reflection and acknowledgement of the hard work that has gone into improving sport at school. The school recognises how important sport is and how much the children enjoy it.

“We have even seen it help the children improve concentrate in other parts of the curriculum. The school is very proud to win the award.”

The award was presented to the 183-pupil school by the School Sport Partnerships and Lancashire and the County Council.

Steve Holt, Rossendale’s School Sport Partnership Manager, said: “This award is a just reward for Mr Sumner and Sarah Irvine who have consistently placed Physical education and sport to the fore of their school agenda, seeing its value as a whole school priority. Their enthusiasm and commitment is then shared by their pupils. At this difficult time with government funding being cut to School Sport partnerships, a school that still takes pride in its PE and sport provision deserves true reward.”

Former star pupils at the school include Little Voice star Jane Horrocks and former Hollyoaks and Two Pints of Larger and a packet of Crisp star Natalie Casey.