A York school pupil is on the road to success after being chosen for the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth.

James Swanton, aged 12, from Manor School, will attend workshops and residential courses as part of the academy based at Warwick University.

James mother, Patricia Swanton, said: "We are extremely proud of James, he works very hard at school."

Haul of fame

A York school is celebrating winning a hat trick of accolades.

Yearsley Grove School has been given the Investors in People Award, Silver Arts Mark Award and Basic Skills Award.

To add to the awards the school also recently achieved a good Ofsted report.

Head teacher Ann Burn said: "These are national awards so it is other people recognising our achievements and my thanks go to the teachers, parents, pupils and governors."

Slave auction

Sixth-form pupils at Huntington School will be selling themselves as slaves for Children in Need.

Pupils will be able to bid for a sixth-former for the day at the auction taking place tomorrow.

Garden contest

Schools from York, Easingwold, Malton, Thirsk and Scarborough have entered a competition to design a garden for the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show.

Japanese car company Daihatsu is staging the nationwide competition for schools to design a biodiversity garden, to be called The Daihatsu Green Garden.

As well as seeing their design turned into a finished show garden at Chelsea in May next year, the winning school will also receive a £6,000 grant from Daihatsu towards creating a biodiversity area of its own.

More than 500 schools have entered the competition and eleven regional finalists will be named in January with an overall winner named in February.

Swim challenge

Visually-impaired students from a North Yorkshire college will be going for gold at a Special Olympics Swimming Gala.

Students from Henshaws College, in Knaresborough, will be taking part in the event at the Harrogate Hydro on Saturday.

Nine pupils will be competing in a number of events including the 50-metre freestyle and the 25-metre relay.

Updated: 11:14 Wednesday, November 19, 2003