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The work of pupils at Hendre Junior School to promote and use the Welsh language has been recognised with a rare award.

The school has been presented with the ‘Gold’ Award for Cymraeg Campus – a scheme recognising the use of Welsh in all aspects of pupils’ learning and school life.

The gold follows 2018’s bronze award and 2022’s silver and reflects the hard work of the school’s ‘Criw Cymraeg’ – a group of pupils leading the promotion and use of the Welsh language.

The school is the first in Caerphilly County Borough to get the award.

Teacher Mollie Rogan has been leading the school’s Welsh efforts and praised pupils for their hard work.

She said: “The staff and pupils have all been on board since day one, which has been brilliant and the children absolutely love it and they should be very proud of themselves.”

Caerphilly Senedd Member Hefin David recently visited Hendre Juniors to find out more and celebrate the children’s achievements.

He said: “I’m so proud to have so many Welsh champions in the constituency, especially Hendre who are the first in Caerphilly to achieve the Gold award. Llongyfarchiadau everyone.”

Dr David has now invited pupils for a visit to the Senedd later this month.

It is a double celebration for the school, which was given an excellent report by Estyn school inspectors last year.

The report praised teachers and governors for their “clear and successful vision” as well as the school’s “consistently high-quality teaching and learning”.

Headteacher John Farmer, who is retiring at the end of this school year, said the report was a justified reflection of the children and staff.

He said: “We are obviously very pleased. Within the report there are ‘spotlights’. One of them was ‘consistently high-quality teaching and learning across the school’ – that is what we do, it is our core business.”