A SCHOOL has won a national award for its efforts to make pupils wise on money matters.

Sunnydale Community College, in Shildon, has become a Centre of Excellence in financial education after taking part in a joint initiative by the charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) and bank Santander.

The school has worked with specialists from pfeg to integrate financial education into the school curriculum to help young people understand more about money and personal finance.

Teachers have been supported to give effective lessons on the subject and activities have been designed to give pupils the skills, knowledge and confidence to manage their money well.

As a Centre of Excellence, Sunnydale will now share its new expertise to other local schools.

Headteacher Sue Byrne said: "The whole team here at Sunnydale has worked extremely hard, with pfeg’s help, to embed financial education in our curriculum and I’m pleased that their efforts have been rewarded with a Centre of Excellence award.

“We are already seeing the results of the high quality financial education we are now providing, which is bringing significant benefits to our students as they take their next step in life.”

Steve Stillwell, pfeg’s director of education, said: “Our aim is to ensure that all students enter adult life with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to manage money well and Sunnydale Community College is doing excellent work to make this goal a reality.”