The geography department at an independent school has won a prestigious national award for excellence in teaching.

Devonshire House Preparatory, Arkwright Road, Hampstead, for children aged between three and 13, scooped a bronze quality mark in geography, awarded for outstanding teaching in the subject.

It follows a year of hard graft by head of geography Rebecca Emberey, who submitted a portfolio of examples of pupils’ work, development of new topics, creative approaches to teaching and lesson plans in April.

But the work paid off as she received the certificate awarding the school the quality mark, set up with the aim of raising the profile of geography in primary schools, this academic term.

“It is a huge relief and it’s great for someone outside the school to say that I have been doing really well,” Ms Emberey, 27, said.

“When I came to the school, I literally wanted to put geography on the map and for kids to say it was their favourite subject, and it seems to have worked.”

The school can now apply for a silver quality mark in 2015.