Celebrations are taking place at a West Cumbrian primary school, following the unveiling of a brand new playground – just days after it received an award for science.

The success at St Patrick's Roman Catholic School, on Derwent Street in Workington, was a team effort as the school council helped to organise fundraising events for the new playground.

Jake Heron, year five teacher and PE lead, said: “The money has been raised over a lot of years. We have tried to maximise the space.”

Cash for a new playground was raised by fundraising activities organised at the school as well as donations from parents.

Mr Heron added: “The new equipment provides something different. We have got some budding gymnasts on the bars.”

In keeping with their theme of teamwork, students have now been recruited as playground leaders. They take responsibility for activities and teach their classmates how to use the new equipment.

A new running track has also been installed in the playground, as Mr Heron wanted to tackle the issue of childhood obesity.

The new playground also includes gymnastic bars, a roundabout and a climbing wall.

Science lead for St Patrick's, Lorraine Hamer, said that giving year six students a place on the school council helped to improve the facilities for the current students and new starters: “It’s brilliant, it makes a big difference to play times.”

Mrs Hamer has been encouraging children to take an active role in science to secure the school’s Primary Science Quality Mark. “We are trying to make it as engaging for the children as possible,” she said.

And she will collect a certificate for the award at a presentation in Manchester in November. Mrs Hamer continued: “We have to show that our classes in science are engaging and fun.”

She wants the children to take responsibility in science lessons: “We wanted to do it so the children are leading the science in the school.”

Year five student Arina Tighnavard Moghadan said: “The last time we had science we were learning about properties and materials.”

Mrs Hamer said: “It has done a really good job of raising science’s profile in school.”