A LONGFORD primary school has seen off competition from across the UK to become a runner-up in a national competition.

Meadowside Community Primary School, on Clough Avenue, is one of only 12 runners-up in the 2006/2007 BT Speaking and Listening Awards.

The school received £500 in recognition of its excellence in helping to improve speaking and listening among its pupils using innovative initiatives.

A spokesman for BT explained the idea behind the awards: "The awards were launched because core communication skills of speaking and listening are even more essential in the digital age and we recognise the need for a renewed emphasis on developing these.

"More and more young people are starting their education lacking the fundamental skills of speaking and listening and when children start out in life lacking these skills it can follow them through their development to recruitment."