A BARNSLEY school has become the first in South Yorkshire to win a prestigious award.

Summer Lane Primary School was presented with Historic England’s Heritage Schools Award for its work teaching pupils about local history.

The teacher spearheading the project, Rachael Cook, said the school has made a concerted effort to link learning to the local area and its history.

“Children are so current with media and technology and the fads they go through,” said Rachael.

“It’s easy for them to lose sight of what people did for us in the years gone by.

“We try not only to maintain that knowledge but develop it into a sense of pride of being from Barnsley, so they look at the local area and want to tell other people about it.”

The Heritage Schools Award is given to schools that can demonstrate parts of their curriculum are dedicated to local history.

Rachael said it was important as a reminder to students to think about the past even when looking to the future.

“Times need to move forward,” Rachael said. “But it’s important for children to know the reasons why buildings are how they are, so they can make their own choices.

“Buildings are knocked down for housing estates more and more, and we are losing parts of the local area and green spaces.

“When these children are adults it will be up to them to say something about these decisions, and they need to be informed.”

The award is run by Historic England - the government body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that also maintains listed buildings and monuments - and funded by the Department for Education.

Julie Edwards, local heritage education manager for Historic England, said: “The school that receives the award receives training and support to incorporate local heritage into its curriculum, to help children value the place they live in.

“Historic England has set criteria but we try not to make the award what it’s about. The award is just acknowledgement of what the school already does, and Summer Lane is an excellent example.”