A primary school has scooped a national award for its commitment to raising awareness of the plight of Afghan refugees.

Year 5 pupils at Meopham Community Academy were named the winners of a Picture News Gold Impact Award, of which there are only three in the country.

Picture News provides schools with resources to create engaging and exciting lessons, allowing children to learn about current world affairs.

The school in Longfield Road, Meopham shares its stories weekly in assemblies and discusses with children the issues and stories raised.

After learning about the recent plight of Afghan refugees fleeing after the Taliban seized control, their teachers got in touch with the Red Cross and organised for classes to join them on a Zoom lesson.

Eager to help, the children decided to organise a fundraiser for the charity and led assemblies, sold biscuits, and held collections, raising £709.96.

Year 5 teachers, Mrs Jackson and Miss Simiou, said: "We are very proud of the children for demonstrating our school values of respect, responsibility and equality.

"They have shown a genuine desire to help the refugees arriving in the UK and a real empathy.

"We believe this demonstrates how education is the way forward, bringing down the barriers that lack of understanding about refugees may bring."