IT has been a time for double celebration for staff and pupils at Threshfield Primary School.

Despite the flooding this week, staff and pupils found time for jubilation as headteacher Helen Jarvis was awarded £3,000 in the teaching "Oscars", and the school was presented with a national sporting award.

Mrs Jarvis joined fellow school staff from across the country at a gala dinner in the Millennium Dome to celebrate the 2000 Teaching Awards.

As the Herald reported back in June, she won the regional title, and although she did not clinch the overall honours Mrs Jarvis took home a cheque for £3,000 to be spent on learning facilities.

"It was a wonderful day and we were treated to a dinner, fireworks and a live band," she told the Herald.

"I think it's great to see school staff recognise in this way."

Mrs Jarvis has been teaching for 25 years altogether and has been head at Threshfield for eight of those.

Also this week, Threshfield School learned it had been given an award by Sport England in recognition of its commitment to promoting the benefits of physical activity.

It is one of only 34 schools across the country to get the award.

"This is a tremendous achievement for Threshfield School and I am delighted that Sport England has recognised our commitment to providing opportunities for physical activity, and the fact that we provide a broad and balanced range of activities," commented Mrs Jarvis.

"We are also trying to teach children the importance of staying active.

"It's not easy with competing priorities in the curriculum, but at this school we feel that physical exercise is very important," she added.

Mrs Jarvis said the school was now applying to upgrade its sporting award to gold standard.

o Mrs Jarvis was joined at the 2000 Teacher Awards by David Fox, 59, from Giggleswick School, who was nominated in the Lifetime Achievement Award category, but missed out on the overall award.

"I never dreamt that I would make it all the way through to the national final," said Mr Fox.

He began his teaching career in 1964 and has been at Giggleswick for 32 years.

David was head of geography for 28 years and is now a senior master, head of careers and a geography teacher.

But it is his role as a house master which has earned him the respect of pupils.

Picture shows Helen Jarvis and David Fox at the teaching "Oscars".