Linaker Primary School in Southport has been named Sefton School of the Year at the 2026 Grand Pride of Sefton Awards.
The award was presented at a glittering ceremony at The Grand in Southport on Friday 25 April, hosted by former Sky Sports News presenter Fraser Dainton and attended by HM Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside Peter Oliver OBE and the Mayor of Sefton, Cllr June Burns.
Linaker was selected ahead of two fellow finalists - The Pines at Redgate Primary School and Maghull High School - with judges recognising the school for ‘showing what it truly means to be the heart of a community’.
Linaker Primary School is part of the Endeavour Learning Trust, a growing multiacademy trust across Lancashire and the broader northwest.
Linaker was recognised for being ‘at the heart of the Southport community’ with examples of this support including wrap around care, the school’s free breakfast club, the baby and toddler group, and parent coffee mornings that the school hosts.
Mark Cunniffe, headteacher of Linaker Primary School, said:
"This award belongs to every member of our school community including our staff, our children, our families and our neighbours. To be recognised in this way, alongside so many remarkable people and organisations from across Sefton, is deeply humbling.
"Linaker has always been more than a school. We are part of this community, and this community is part of us. This award is a reflection of that bond."
The recognition comes during a period in which Linaker has been at the centre of the Southport community in the most profound sense.
The school is known across the town for its warmth, resilience and its unwavering commitment to the children and families it serves.
The Grand Pride of Sefton Awards celebrate selfless, talented and courageous people and organisations across 13 categories.
Photo by Kevin Brown Photography