KING’S School pupils in Chester have been racking up achievements at home and abroad.

A group of 24 Year 8 and Year 9 students have returned from their expedition to Madagascar.

The trip saw pupils return to the community where the Chester school raised enough money to build a school there three years ago.

The Ambohimandroso community was delighted to welcome the students and a formal inauguration ceremony was held to open the new cyclone-proof primary school.

King’s also funded the installation of a water pump at the school and students helped build a bridge over the river the water is pumped from.

The students’ paddling skills were challenged by a five-day trip down the Tsiribihina River in wooden pirogues through a remote area of Madagascar.

Students also visited Avenue du Baobab for a magnificent sunset before relaxing in seaside town in Morondava.

Meanwhile, Olympic rowers and former King’s School pupils returned to officially open the revamped sixth form centre.

Double gold medallist Tom James, silver medallist Chris Bartley and double finalist Olivia Whitlam unveiled a plaque to mark the £300,000 investment, which sees the centre have new study rooms, a bigger cafe and common room, with new IT facilities.

The Olympic trio then had a tour of the school, seeing all the new developments created at the school in the decade since they left.

Finally, sixth former Terence Au, 17, of Chester, was recently examined for a QCF Level 4 diploma in music performance on the violin.

He was awarded a diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and is a student at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music.