A primary school has been handed hundreds of pounds towards a memorial for its ‘well-loved’ late headteacher.

North Somerset Times: PTA at St Andrew's School, Michelle Brumby, Kate Vincent, Helen Woolford and Sarah Lake with Head Teacher Neil Tuttiett in the IT suite which the PTA have fund raised for.PTA at St Andrew's School, Michelle Brumby, Kate Vincent, Helen Woolford and Sarah Lake with Head Teacher Neil Tuttiett in the IT suite which the PTA have fund raised for. (Image: Archant)

St Andrew’s Primary School, in Congresbury, has received a £250 grant from Wessex Water and the Conservation Foundation which will be spent on a sensory garden in memory of Neil Tuttiett, who died after developing a brain tumour last year.

St Andrew’s was awarded the Wessex Watermark on Monday after many pupils took part in a clean up of its overgrown pond and wildlife area.

The pond was a good learning resource in the past, but in recent years it has only been used sparingly.

But thanks to the efforts of a team of parents and youngsters, the pond is now fit for use, and the school plans to integrate it with its forest school which has proved popular with pupils.

Teacher Julie Ede said the school is ‘delighted’ to receive the grant.

She added: “Now spring has come; the children are excited to continue to explore these areas while working hard to maintain them.

“This money will help to go towards a new dipping platform for the pond and also go towards our new sensory thought garden which is being developed in memory of our well-loved headteacher, Neil Tuttiett, who sadly passed away last September.”

Mr Tuttiett was headteacher for more than a decade, overseeing the merger of Glebe Infant School and St Andrew’s Junior School in 2009.

His death, which came just weeks after being diagnosed with two brain tumours, sparked a wave of tributes from parents, pupils and colleagues alike.

And the school will now create a permanent tribute to the ‘keen gardener’.

Teacher Sheryl Riddell said: “The key-stage-two children were involved from start to finish with this project to revamp the two areas. Rehabilitating our school pond and wildlife area gave many hours of pleasure and surprises to the children.

“We received invaluable advice from our local wildlife society and had many parents give up their time to help. We linked learning in maths, science, art, English and many other subjects with this project and we celebrated its completion with a grand opening which included parents.”