GREEN-fingered youngsters at Whitley Village School are celebrating after being given a £1,000 cash boost for securing first place in a national competition.

The Village Lane school was shortlisted along with 13 others from 170 applications in the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTA) gold star rewards scheme.

The school’s Seed to Saucepan project triumphed in the Changing The Life of the School category due to the active involvement of parents and Whitley WI members in teaching the children the cycle of planning, planting, growing, cooking and eating home grown food.

Vegetable beds were built, planters were filled, spring bulbs planted and recipes created – using their own produce for the ingredients – during the project, which ran over three terms.

Erin Simpkins, aged eight, said: “I have enjoyed doing the cooking the most. I liked making the lavender biscuits, lemonade and berry pie.”

With the help of the community members all of the children took part in planting and harvesting potatoes, peas, beans, carrots, onions, garlic and pumpkins, together with mint, lemon balm, lavender, nasturtiums and marigolds.

On Thursday Julie Morrison, head teacher, Gill Alcock, parent and WI member, along with pupils Charlotte Baker and Joe Wilkes, got the train to London to attend the award ceremony at the House of Commons.

Jim Knight, minister of state for schools and learners, presented the trophy and cheque and looked at pictures that were taken throughout the scheme.

Mrs Morrison said “This has been an exciting project which we feel is unique because it brings together so many different strands of the children’s learning and is at the heart of the every child matters agenda.

“In addition, it has reinforced community cohesion with our pupils developing relationships with members of the community who otherwise they may not have done.”

The sum will be used to create a wild area for the Lower Whitley establishment.

Tatton MP George Osborne will visit the school later this year.