PUPILS and staff at a Basingstoke school are celebrating a triple success after a year of triumph.

In the last 12 months, Merton Infant School, in Romsey Close, Popley, has received three prestigious awards.

The first came when it was one of 50 schools in Hampshire to be awarded Healthy School status. To achieve validation, the school had to put in nearly two years' hard work, adopting a whole-school approach to improvement in two or three focus areas, such as citizenship, emotional health, healthy eating, physical activity, safety, sex and relationships, drug education, the environment, wellbeing of pupils and staff, and personal, social and health education.

Healthy Schools activities can be embraced throughout the curriculum and are backed by all areas of the school community.

Next came a letter from the DfES (Department for Education and Skills) announcing the school had improved its SATS results so much it had received an award.

Finally, the school found it had successfully passed the credentials needed for the Investor in People award.

Headteacher Lynn Clement said the triple recognition shows high morale at the school.

She said: "Obviously we are delighted with the awards - it's something we're very proud of. It's a lovely school to work in.

"The staff and the pupils are all very caring and want to be here. There is a wonderful atmosphere here, and everybody comments on it."