Teachers and students at an innovative Marlow primary school are celebrating a double whammy following two huge achievements this month.

Last week Danesfield Primary School on the Henley Road was one of 400 institutions globally to be recognised as a Microsoft showcase school for its pioneering teaching techniques.

And students and teachers are also celebrating scooping a £5,000 grant to improve its outdoor classroom after coming out top in a community vote.

Danesfield was crowned a showcase school – which celebrates inventive ways teachers use technology to inspire learning – after making a huge investment in to technology resources.

Head teacher, Sarah Morgan, said: “We believe we are preparing the children to be successful in a world characterised by increasing change and complex challenge.

“It is essential for learners to develop innovative mind-sets and skills that enable them to build resilience.

“Our teachers are using technology in creative and engaging ways and it is the impact this is having for our children and their love of learning.”

Danesfield will now be a driving force behind the transformation of technology departments in other schools across the country.

Teachers have been using programmes such as Skype, Minecraft and QT codes to broaden communication and challenge children with real life problems.

And the school is now planning to invest the £5000 secured in the One Family Foundation community awards after campaigning tirelessly to secure the public vote.

The campaign’s driving force and Parent Teachers Association treasurer, Janet Trounce, said she ‘can’t quite believe’ the school had come out on top.

She said: “She said: “When I heard about the awards, I knew that our school was the perfect candidate.

“I have to admit though I can’t still quite believe that we’ve won.

“It’s all thanks to the amazing support of our community. We truly are so very grateful and now we just can’t wait to get the equipment installed and see the children benefiting from it.”

The One Family Foundation praised the school for its community spirit, saying Danesfield is a ‘great example’ of what can be achieved when people work together.