A PARTNERSHIP between Haworth Primary School and local businesses in the village won the Business in Schools Award this year.

Known as the Business Friends of Haworth Primary, the scheme encourages businesses in Haworth to support the school in any way possible to enhance the educational opportunities for the children, raise pupil aspirations and prepare them for the working world from an early age.

Some businesses provided one-off donations or ongoing sponsorship with others providing opportunities for curriculum-linked work for classes and visits to the school to talk about career options.

It has even seen pupils from the school running a weekly food stall in the Airedale Shopping Centre in Keighley.

The initiative started when the school sent a personal invitation to all local businesses to attend an evening event to find out about the life of the school, and how they may be able to help pupils.

After collecting the award, John Brownless, governor at the school, said: “This is great for the kids to have these life skills, and thank you to all those businesses that supported us. They have brought funds into the school that we wouldn’t normally get.

“It shows that businesses can come to schools to give pupils important life skills.”

Head Helen Thompson said the project helped “open children’s eyes to the outside world” adding: “We’re really passionate about being outward-looking and bringing the wider community and businesses into the school.”

She added: “It is about what this partnership can bring to the education of children, and how businesses see employees of the future.”

They said other schools had expressed interest in similar schemes.

The Award was sponsored by Shipley College.

l Highly commended:

Thornton Primary and Historic England

Farnham Primary and Bradford College