A MALVERN school has received an award for good race relations just a year after it was branded institutionally racist.

Last July, the findings of an independent panel, set up by the Church of England, followed up complaints about child protection and response to bullying at Malvern Link CE Primary School.

The report said staff failed to recognise the incidents as racist and respond to them appropriately, and failed to do anything to prevent further incidents, which were defined as institutional racism.

There are 240 pupils at the Cromwell Road school, five per cent of which are from ethnic minorities.

Now the school says it is delighted to have been recognised for "the significant work they have been doing in the area of race relations and cultural diversity".

It is one of 19 primary schools nationwide to be given a Leading Aspect Award, which comes after acting deputy head Catriona Robinson led a working party to raise awareness in the area of race relations.

Leading Aspect Awards were designed with, and by, educational practitioners as a means to recognise leading practice in education.

Their judgement is based on an initial self-evaluation, with Malvern Link staff filling in a long form highlighting its work, followed by external verification.

The award was presented to the school by Worcestershire's director of education Julien Kramer on Wednesday.