YOUNG people are not just learning about healthy lifestyles they are living them.

Birtenshaw School in Bromley Cross has been celebrated nationally for its commitment to supporting young people and to live healthy lives and make the right choices by winning a prestigious TES Award.

The school educates pupils aged three-to-19-years-old, who have moderate to severe learning needs including autistic spectrum conditions, communication difficulties, multi-sensory impairments, significant medical conditions and physical disabilities.

But the school refuses to allow any condition to stop young people from accessing activities designed to promote health and wellbeing.

PE lessons have designed to appeal to all the young people, with the gym being fully accessible as well as calm and quiet.

The dinner menu has been adapted so pupils and students can enjoy a more varied diet.

In the school grounds, young people have the use of a greenhouse and polytunnel with each class having a raised bed in which they grow fruit and vegetables.

Ryan Hardwidge, head of service for enrichment, recreation and leisure at Birtenshaw, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won Healthy School of the year 2018, the TES awards are a prestigious event, being shortlisted as a finalist is a massive achievement as there are over 20,000 nominations in all. To be named as the winner and receive this national recognition is a testament to all the staff and young people of Birtenshaw for their hard work and determination to live healthier and enriched lives."

Judges were said to be impressed with the school's "whole-child approach to health, incorporating eating, exercise and mental health".

They commented: "The staff showed amazing creativity, ambition and commitment in planning and implementing healthy choices for the children in the school, and led by example with 56 members of staff completing a 10km fun run to raise awareness of health and funds for the school."

Mr Hardwidge said: "Actually getting the young people to try new foods and change their diets can be very challenging.

"As Birtenshaw is a an organisation that supports young people with special educational needs and disability, this can be even more challenging as many of our pupils will only eat foods they are familiar with or food of a certain texture or colour. We look at different ways of engaging the pupils to familiarise themselves with healthy foods through horticultural programs, sensory play and cooking.

"The pupils have lots of fun planting and picking vegetables for many different reasons, its outside, you get all muddy, you can watch them grow like magic and turn it in to a delicious healthy meal at the end."

This is the first time the school has won a TES Award after being shortlisted as finalists for the past four years in the categories of Healthy school, Alternative Provision and Creative School.