OLD Basing’s St Mary’s Church of England Junior School won the Primary School award for the fifth year running.

This year they beat off stiff competition from fellow finalists St Johns, Winklebury, St Bede’s, Silchester and Sherborne St John.

St Mary’s had a rewarding 2019 with children taking part in all levels of competition.

The girls won the Kwik cricket county finals, and also beaten finalists in the Year 5/6 football.

More success came from table tennis with silvers at individual and team.

St Mary’s finished top of the Basingstoke Schools medals table and they qualified for county finals in football, table tennis, indoor athletics, cross country, girls and boys cricket.

In the Hampshire School Games, they had teams representing Basingstoke in girls football, netball and basketball.

St Mary’s head teacher Caroline Welch said: “I am really pleased to have won this award against what was strong competition.

“This is for the whole school and for everyone involved with sport.”

Costello School stopped Bishop Challoner School winning the Secondary School award for a fourth year running.

Costello had many successes last year winning the title of district champions in the Basingstoke Schools Athletics for a ninth year.

In total they had 19 individual district champions and 28 students represented Basingstoke at the County Championships.

They won 22 different team and individual events including being Hampshire table tennis champions and for the third year in a row year nine were netball district champions. They were also district and county plate cricket champions.