Moorland Infant School is Proud to Fly the Green Flag

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 30th Jun 2006

Environmentally friendly children at Moorland Infant School have helped their school to become the first in Milton Keynes to fly the coveted Eco-Schools Green Flag. To celebrate this achievement, a special assembly was held on 30 June, when the Green Flag was presented to the school.

The Green Flag is the top prize for schools that take huge steps in raising environmental awareness among young people and help protect the environment. The school has been working towards this award for over three years.

Delighted headteacher, Margaret Fo, said: "We are proud to take our place alongside schools world-wide who are engaged in quality education for sustainable development. The Eco-Schools programme gives children a sense of responsibility and pride in what they have achieved. With this comes the hope that the children will continue this behaviour in the wider community and will develop as responsible citizens, aware of the environmental impact of their actions."

The pupils have been involved in a range of environmental activities leading up to the award such as:

• Saving water - changing taps, putting in water butts, using water left in children's water bottles at the end of the day to water plants

• Saving electricity - putting up signs reminding children and staff to turn off lights that are not needed

• Reducing waste and increasing recycling

• Maintaining a litter-free environment

• Establishing areas of shade

• Developing the school grounds for a range of activities

• Gardening and growing fruit and vegetables

• Staying healthy - the school has achieved the Gold award of the Healthy Schools initiative and has national "Healthy School" status

• Sustainable travel - developing a school travel plan

• Sustainable education - participating in the local Sustainable Schools project.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Sandra Clark, cabinet member for children, said: "Congratulations to everyone who has been involved in this initiative. I would encourage other schools in Milton Keynes to take part in this programme which will enable our young people to become environmentally friendly."

Eco-Schools is run internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education and administered in England by ENCAMS (organisers of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign).