DUNSTER First School is celebrating after achieving a top accolade in a Government-led awards scheme aimed at rewarding schools for the way they promote sport and encourage competitive sport.

The school has been awarded a Gold Mark in the Sainsbury's School Games Mark scheme, which was launched by the Government in the wake of the 2012 Olympics.

The initiative rewards schools for their commitment to the development of competition throughout the school and in the local community.

It is being delivered in partnership with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and is implemented and developed by the Youth Sport Trust and Sport England.

Over the past 12 months, Dunster First School has increased participation in school sports clubs by introducing more clubs and by making them free of charge.

The school has used special Government PE and sport grant funding to ensure all clubs to be free, which in turn has seen participation levels increase - some 84 per cent of all pupils took part in one or more sports clubs in the last 12 months.

In years three and four, children can attend five different sports clubs in a week, while more opportunities have been created for competitive events through internal school football leagues, catchball leagues and tennis tournaments.

The school also takes part in a wide variety of inter-school competitions including events organised by the West Somerset Sports Association and local community events such as the rotary club Swimathon and Beacon to Beach Fun Run, as well as the West Somerset Primary Tennis Challenge.

Headteacher Peter Hoyland said: "We are delighted that all of the work that we do to promote sport and physical activity has been recognised by this award.

"The children at our school are very fortunate to have access to such a wide range of sporting opportunities and this is all due to the willingness of members of staff to give up their time to put on clubs and to accompany the children to sporting events."