A SCHOOL has marked its 90th anniversary in style by winning a coveted award.

Hetton Lyons Primary School, in Hetton-le-Hole, has received the Schools Curriculum Award for the quality of its relationship with the community.

To mark the achievement, two children and two adults from the school were invited to attend a celebration, along with representatives from the other 250 winning schools, at the Tate Modern, in London, on Tuesday.

The event, which was also attended by HRH the Duke of Gloucester, came the day before Hetton Lyons celebrated its 90th birthday.

Chairman of Governors Glenys Gibson said: "This was a wonderful way to celebrate the school's 90th birthday."

To qualify for the award, the school underwent a thorough assessment pro-cess, in which it impressed the assessors with its family ethos, extensive calendar of community events, support from its friends group, use of community experts and links with workplaces.

The judges visited all classrooms, joining in with morning assembly, listening to the school band, interviewing pupils and members of the community, and examining documentary evidence.