A MULTI-CULTURAL primary school in York where youngsters speak 14 languages has scooped a top international award.

St Lawrence's CE Primary School, in Heslington Road, has received a prestigious International School Award from the Department of Education and Skills (DfES).

The school, which has around 220 pupils, was given the award for its fantastic range of international activity and links with schools in Poland, France, Germany, Holland and Norway through the Commenius project.

Pupils at the school speak a total of 14 languages between them - English, German, Portuguese, Mandarin Luo (from Kenya), Kenyan, Mandarin, Farsi (from Iran), Polish, Malay, Turkish, Korean, Shona (from Zimbabwe), Russian and Arabic.

Unfortunately, David Thewlis, the previous head teacher who coordinated the application, was unable to attend the high profile awards ceremony in London, at which the broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby presented the awards.

This is the school's second project which focuses on Healthy Schools, and the children are involved in producing games, recipes, stories and videos which are exchanged with the partner schools.

The school's acting head teacher, Helen Dumville, said: "The activities have generated a great deal of excitement as well as enriching the curriculum. Teaching staff have been involved in planning meetings in the partner countries and placements in the schools, sharing ideas and good practice across cultures."

As well as Commenius, the school celebrates its cultural diversity by having a large group of children from the traveller culture and others from around the world.

Mr Thewlis said: "We are thrilled to be recognised in this way. Inclusivity is a very high priority at St Lawrence's and our links with European schools have enriched our curriculum and given the children - and teachers - a truly international perspective."

Pupil Otis Farnhill said: "I like having friends from other countries in our class. This week Abdul, from Egypt, came and I have been his special friend, looking after him and helping him to settle in to school."

Playing the games made by children in other European countries, Kiera Gradwell, a Year 5 pupil said, that the games were great fun, quite complicated and "very carefully made".

Mrs Dumville said: "We have a lot of parents who work at the university and children come to us with no English at all.

"It's fantastic to watch them picking it up and practising with the other children. After about a year, they are quite fluent."

The International School Award scheme is managed by the British Council and supported and funded by the DfES.

It provides recognition for teachers and their schools working to instil an international dimension into the learning experience of all children and young people.

Nearly 1,000 International School Awards have been presented to successful schools since the scheme began in 1999.