Proud children at Palm Bay Primary School are celebrating achieving a prestigious award for their excellent efforts walking to school.

Youngsters have enthusiastically supported WOW during the last two years as part of the Walk To School scheme backed by the KM’s Kent and Medway Walking Bus Group.

Numbers participating have risen from 44 to 72 per cent.

They won the award for being the top WOW school in Thanet.

Deputy head and healthy school co-ordinator of the Cliftonville school, Christine Goodbody joined the children to receive the award from Kent County Councillor Charles HIbberd, cabinet member for highways, with KCC’s Phil Pittock, extended schools manager for Thanet in attendance.

Mrs Goodbody said: “Palm Bay is very proud of their Healthy School Status and the WOW initiative is an integral part of sustaining that status.”

Palm Bay has promoted the health, environmental and social benefits of WOW during assemblies and in the classroom, supported by work from the school council and school newspaper club.

Pupils' activities in the school press led to them visiting a newspaper office and having their work featured in the media.