A headteacher and primary school teacher have described feeling 'honoured' after winning the Active Primary School award category at this year's Active Suffolk awards.

The community at Red Oak Primary School in Lowestoft were awarded yesterday (November 29) to the delight of students and staff.

It is the second time the school have won, after winning it in 2019, with the awards being cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic.

The Active Suffolk Awards 2021 shines a spotlight on those in Suffolk who have been active in the community and made a difference.

Teacher and primary PE lead practitioner at the school, Johnny Lee, nominated the school for the award.

He said: "We are really honoured to receive this award with staff, students and the community coming together and making inclusive sport happen at the school.

"We wanted to make sure sport didn't stop during the pandemic so we ran our family fitness projects.

"But there are so many other reasons as to why as a school we won this award as well."

Mr Lee said that five key areas helped the school to win the award.

The first was the Red Oak Family Fitness Project, which involved Mr Lee recording regular and multiple fitness videos that children and their family members could safely do at home.

Children at the school also continued to take part in sport through the Suffolk Virtual Games competition.

In January 2020, the school also recognised the problem of racism in football and set up a national campaign called Schools Against Racism.

The school was also the first in Suffolk to reintroduce and organise face-to-to face competitive sport and has linked up with Ipswich Town FC to help improve football in north Suffolk schools.

Headteacher Heather Madsen said: "We are exceptionally proud of the whole Red Oak community.

"Sport is such a huge part of our school and special credit to Mr Lee who has worked with various north Suffolk schools to organise and develop events and tournaments which has improved the sportsmanship of our pupils.

"The cost for some families in terms of sporting extra-curricula activities can be a lot so it is great we can offer this to our pupils first hand as a sporting school.

"We will continue to build on this success and always look at ways we can improve."