A delegation from Exeter Road Primary School was given the VIP treatment at the science museum in London after getting through to the finals of a prestigious competition.

More than 2,000 schools entered the 2011 Rolls-Royce science prize, but Exeter Road School was shortlisted in the last eight.

The school was given �6,000 for a science project and pupils used the cash to build a greenhouse, made from re-used materials, such as plastic bottles and bubble wrap and CD cases.

The greenhouse will now be used by the school to teach the science of plants and nutrition.

While the school missed out on the �15,000 top prize head teacher Paul Gosling said: “It was a real honour to be there.

“They put us up in a hotel and the reception at the science museum had guests including Robert Winston (celebrity professor, GP, television presenter and politician) MPs and government ministers.

“They had our project on a big overhead screen and to see our school up there in lights at such a prestigious event was fantastic.”