A SCHOOL project to teach responsibility to pupils has been put forward for a Community Pride Award.

The Class Pets Project at New Earswick Primary School was created in 2009 by the school council to help children learn to care for living creatures, and the students have had to work hard to fund the project themselves.

Sarah Field-Gibson nominated the school for Best Primary School Project, and said: “It has taken real commitment from the school council to get this project off the ground and keep it moving forward.

“They have had the excitement of research and buying visits to a local pet store, but they have also had the hard work of organising fundraising, such as non-uniform days, and have suffered occasional disappointment in the form of rejected nfunding applications.”

The group has recently received £500 from the New Earswick Residents’ Association, and have built a strong relationship with a local pet shop, which has provided them with fish and budgies at discount prices.

Carole Dickson, head teacher at the school, said: “We are delighted that the excellent work of the school council has been recognised.

“At the start of the project the children experienced democracy in action, as they suggested pets, then voted on which they would like to have. They also needed to think about which costs were a one-off and which were ongoing.”

This is the eighth year The Press has run the awards, in partnership with City of York Council and local businesses, which recognise the efforts of local people who make a difference to people in their community.

All nominees must live or be based in the City of York Council tax area, and the winners will be invited to a special awards ceremony in October.

Nominations can be submitted online at thepress.co.uk/news/communitypride before Friday, July 22.