Students and staff at a Pill school have been presented with an award for their work on developing a successful school travel plan.

St Katherine's School, which has 990 pupils, has been presented with a bronze award by North Somerset Council in recognition of its work to develop safe ways of getting students to class.

School travel plans form part of a national Government initiative and encourage schools to develop specific strategies to encourage walking, cycling, and sustainable travel.

Around 70 per cent of pupils travel by bus to St Katherine's each day from Bristol, while pupils from Pill, Easton-in-Gordano and Abbots Leigh tend to walk or cycle.

School bosses have worked with bus operators North Somerset Coaches and Eurotaxis to ensure that students get to school safely and on time for lessons.

Students from Long Ashton benefit from the free North Somerset home-to-school transport service run by Buglers.

Parents who wish to bring their children to school by car are also encouraged to car share, which is becoming increasingly popular with parents making their own arrangements to minimise car usage.

Students have also been appointed as bus monitors on the journeys to and from school each day.

St Katherine's business manager, Laurence Frewin, said: "We have introduced a code of conduct that all students have committed to and appointed two trained students as bus monitors for every bus.

"We are really pleased with the level of support shown to the school by the bus operators.

"Our work has had a very positive impact on the student's journeys to school."