A SCHOOL noted for the exceptional progress made by its children has won top marks in a special community initiative run by a Bolton shopping centre.

Crompton Place invited shoppers to take part in its Shop for Schools drive by casting their votes for the local school they thought most deserved to win a top prize of £500 worth of equipment and vouchers.

Shoppers who spent £10 or more at any of the shopping centre’s 45 stores were entitled to a card which they could nominate their chosen school and post their vote in a special box at the shopping centre.

The lucky winner of the package of goodies was Green Fold Community Special School in Farnworth, which will benefit from a valuable range of stationery, books and vouchers supplied by Crompton Place.

And the shopping centre has gone to the top of the class according to headteacher Andy Feeley for providing “an absolutely fantastic” prize.

Crompton Place manager Paula Wood said: “We ran the scheme because we wanted to do our bit to support one of our local primary schools.

“We invited shoppers to put the name of their chosen school into a post box in the centre and the one which attracted the most votes won.

“I’m delighted to say that the winner was Green Fold, which I think was an excellent choice especially as it does so much for the children who are taught there."

Mr Feeley said: “It’s a marvellous gesture and I know the £500 worth of equipment will come in extremely handy to benefit both our staff and children.”

Andy explained that Green Fold, in Highfield Road, is part of a grouping of schools in Farnworth known as The Orchards Federation of which he is executive headteacher.

The federation also includes mainstream community primary school, Cherry Tree, and community nursery, The Orchards.

“At Green Fold we currently have 102 children aged from two to 11 years old who have profound and multiple learning difficulties. A number use sign language while others are on the autistic spectrum,” he said.

“Lots of our children have very complex needs because of problems with communication or mobility, which means they need lots of learning and personal support.

“That is why we have a high ratio of around 80 staff to just over 100 pupils.

“Our class sizes at Green Fold are also quite small. They consist of five to eight children and there are lots of adults – either teachers or teaching assistants – in the classes with them at all times.”

For more information about Crompton Place go to crompton-place.co.uk