EDUCATION Secretary Michael Gove has conferred special status on a Harpenden school and praised its pioneering work with China.

Since 2008, St George’s School in Harpenden has worked with an elite academy in Beijing and a school in Shandan in the remote north west of the country.

Students and teachers, including head Norman Hoare, have visited the Chinese schools and currently St George’s has a second teacher on a scholarship for a year’s study at Beijing University who will be returning to strengthen its Mandarin-speaking staff.

Mr Gove conferred Confucius status on the school at a ceremony in London at which over 20 other UK schools also received the endorsement.

Deputy head Helen Barton received the commendation (pictured) and Mr Gove complimented St George’s for its pioneering work and study of Mandarin.

n St George’s is hosting a Big Curry Day to raise money for the Soldiers Charity tomorrow (Friday).

Big Curry Day is a national event held for the charity each spring and St George’s has fully adopted the theme of 1928 – the number of UK service personnel killed or wounded in Afghanistan up to the end of last year.

A number of events have been organised as well as the entire school of 1,300 pupils and 150 staff being served special curry dishes made by the catering department.

In addition 16 staff are taking part in a 19.28km Great Curry Run. Led by deputy head Paddy Storrie, who had a recent hip replacement operation, sponsorship has so far raised �5,000 from parents and pupils.