House of Commons speaker John Bercow presented primary school pupils with a prize for their work helping elderly people.

St Francis de Sales Primary School, in Church Road, Tottenham, was awarded the Speaker’s school council award in the four to seven age category for its ‘intergenerational ladies and gents do lunch’ event.

Working with Age Concern and Haringey Council, the school hosted a forum in which elderly people could meet students to reduce social isolation among elderly people in Tottenham.

Organiser Dalwardin Babu said: “St Francis de Sales school in Tottenham believes in exposing our incredible children to new and exciting opportunities. The Speakers Awards was an amazing opportunity for our school council to showcase our community-focused work to reduce social isolation for local older people.

“The school is buzzing with excitement. We are pleased that other schools have visited us since the speakers awards to look at how they can replicate what St Francis de Sales School has started.”

Mr Bercow said: “School councils make valuable contributions to their communities, while giving students what is often their first taste of democratic practice.

“It is therefore very fitting that these young leaders from are here to celebrate the building of the new Parliamentary Education Centre which will allow more young people to visit Parliament and develop their understanding of and connection to democracy.”