A Hartlepool primary school has been awarded champion status for the way it teaches young children to read.

West View Primary School in Davison Drive is only the second school in the North-East of England to receive the prestigious accolade from Little Wandle – a Government backed national programme supporting over 5,000 schools.

To receive champion status, schools must meet 16 Standards of Excellence in the teaching of reading and phonics. The award will also result in West View sharing their exemplary practice with other schools.

Headteacher Lauren Furness said: “This is a wonderful achievement for West View, and I am very proud of the work undertaken by everyone at the school to ensure that our early years teaching of reading is of the highest quality.

“Being a champion school will involve sharing the work we are doing in the teaching of reading and phonics with other schools coming to see our Little Wandle programme in action.”

West View Primary School is one of ten primary schools across Teesside, County Durham and Hartlepool under the umbrella of Ad Astra Academy Trust.

Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Ad Astra Academy Trust, added: “This is a significant achievement for West View, and I’d like to thank the staff and everyone else associated with the school for their hard work.

“It’s brilliant that West View is only the second school in the North-East to join a select network of schools across the country in showcasing how they teach young children to read.”

The other Ad Astra Academy Trust schools are Barnard Grove, Brougham and West Park in Hartlepool, Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees, Ayresome and Sunnyside in Middlesbrough and Deaf Hill and Kelloe in County Durham.

Click on the link below to listen to Deputy Headteacher Katie Tailford talking to Gary Philipson from BBC Radio Tees.

BBC Radio Tees interview