A BRADFORD school has been named as one of the “happiest” in the UK at a national awards ceremony.

Cheery pupils at Beckfoot Heaton Primary School helped the academy reach the finalists of the National Happiness Awards, eventually being presented with a highly commended award.

The school was only beaten by winners Fourfields Community Primary School in Peterborough.

Beckfoot Heaton, on Haworth Road, had made the shortlist after pupils created and starred in a video explaining how the school’s mixture of different ethnicities and communities helped pupils “get a better understanding of everyone.”

Last month members of Beckfoot Heaton Primary School and Nursery, which recently joined the Beckfoot Academy trust, travelled to London to attend the awards.

At the glitzy award ceremony in Wimbledon, the school team heard they had narrowly missed out on the top award, but beat Kaizen Primary School, Newham, London into third.

The judges had seen the video recordings of children who attend the school, quotes from parents and examples of the difference having happiness as a core value is making in the day to day life of the school.

The awards had been set up by Laughology, and recognise schools, workplaces and schools.

Judges look for “examples of people and organisations putting happiness, mental health and well-being at the heart of everything they do.”

Other winners included Burges Salmon in Bristol, which was named happiest workplace.

The judging panel said they were particularly impressed with an unprompted video of a group of Year 6 children from Beckfoot Heaton who described the “happy school” as a “mixed community where people of different faiths can come which helps them to get on better in the community.”

One girl, Abby Jacques, said that having a mixed community “gives a better understanding of everyone.”

The school also received recognition for the significant improvements in the school over the last few years.

The charity partner for the awards event was veteran’s mental health charity Combat Stress. An auction and raffle on the night raised £1,115 and fundraising continues.

Zoe Mawson, headteacher at Beckfoot Heaton, said, “We are delighted to have been recognised for this award.

“We are a school which is determined to be great and teach children that if they are great learners and great people, then they have the best chance of having a great life.

“Happiness is a key to this. People who are happy are better learners and better people.”

The Awards Ceremony was attended by Mrs Mawson, school staff members Veronica Snowden and Sam Bolton, and mother and daughter/pupil Shazia Nazir and Amelia Qureshi.

Amelia said, “We left the ceremony feeling very happy and proud to have represented Beckfoot Heaton. It was a very happy journey.”

The judging panel said to all the finalists: “We wish you every success in continuing to implement your strategies in the future and look forward to reading about what you’re doing next in 2018.”