THE buzz around a Llandudno ‘Eco’ school’s syllabus has earned its pupils national attention.

Ysgol San Sior’s entry ’Bee Aware’ has been named the runner up in the Totally Scientific category by judges at the Better Energy School Awards 2020.

The school encourages its pupils to get involved in caring for its ten bee hives, the honey of which has been sampled by BBC Countryfile’s Matt Baker, Springwatch’s Iolo Williams and even Prince Charles.

North Wales Pioneer:

The school's apiary is filled with information on the crucial pollinators

The school’s head teacher Ian Keith Jones said: “The Bee Aware project raises people’s awareness of the importance of bees in pollinating our plants.

The demand for our honey is incredible. We sell the honey each year in the Conwy Honey Fair and Matt Baker of BBC Countryfile said ‘ This is among the finest honey I have ever tasted’ and Iolo Williams said ‘Mel Bendigedig’."

Ysgol San Sior has received ‘Platinum Eco School’ status from Keep Wales Tidy and operates an Eco Club for children in Years 3 to 6.

As well as beekeeping, the school children are also involved in growing fruit and vegetables in the school grounds, as well as looking after he school’s chickens which produced more than 20,000 eggs last year.

Peter Littlewood, director of the Young People’s Trust for the Environment, said: “Even with the lockdown in place, we saw some fantastic entries this year. With this in mind, to be a Runner Up is a considerable achievement.

“It sounds like you are doing some truly amazing work at the school and the number of eggs the school’s chickens are producing in a year is staggering.

“It’s great that the children are involved in looking after both the chickens and the bees and we were delighted to see that the school also grows its own fruit and veg onsite.

“With more of the children’s work included in your submission, this could well have been a Regional Winner, so do please take part again in 2021.”

As a runner up in the competition - which saw 28,750 children involved in projects in Wales and Western England - the school has received a cheque for £250 and a special certificate to mark its achievement.