STUDENTS have put unwanted pennies to good use.

Year 7 tutor groups at Langley Academy have been competing over the last three weeks to see who can bring in the most pennies – with the group who gathered the most having all the pennies donated to their tutor group’s chosen charity.

In order to determine the winner, the tutor groups laid out all their pennies in a line in the school foyer, with the group with longest line claiming victory.

The head of Year 7, Jennie Bevan, said to the students before the began: “I would like to thank you all for the work you did. The amount you have brought in has been outstanding.

“As all of you know, the money raised will go the the charity of the group with the longest line – and they will also get a pizza party too.”

Students then worked to arrange the pennies in the foyer. One of the top earners, Josh, 12, of Globe tutor group, said: “I brought in about half a jar. I got them all off friends and family – from wherever we could find them, really.”

The winning group was Gaia tutor group, whose line of pennies looped back across the foyer three times – and still left them with half a jar of pennies left to go.

All the pennies will be donated to Gaia’s chosen charity, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Elephant Family. Langley Academy estimated they had raised about £140 for the charities in total.

Speaking to the students after the penny lines had been completed, Miss Bevan said: “The amount you raised is outstanding, and I am so proud of each and every one of you for the effort you put in.”