Children from Charlton Manor primary school were among the campaigners in Jamie Oliver’s hard-hitting TV documentary “declaring war on sugar” and demanding an extra tax on sugary drinks.

The Channel 4 programme – Jamie’s Sugar Rush – included filming at the school in Indus Road that’s gained a national reputation for leading its own campaign on healthy eating lifestyles.

Jamie argued that “sugar needs to be on the naughty step” and called for a 20p levy per litre on every soft drink containing added sugar, accompanied by a five-point Sugar Manifesto and a petition to the government.

“I thought the documentary was fantastic, absolutely spot on,” said Charlton Manor headteacher Tim Baker. “It was set out absolutely in the right way, showing the problem of sugary drinks and campaigning for a tax that would be used to help children and young people into the right eating and drinking habits.

“I’m sure the government will want to look at this issue very closely to ensure that they take the very best decisions regarding children’s long term health.”

Charlton Manor, which holds its own annual conference on healthy eating, is involved in Jamie Oliver’s charity, the Kitchen Garden Project, which aims to raise awareness of the need for children to make the healthy choices.

“The nutritional values of food are not only helping to build healthy bodies but also helps children to concentrate and to focus, therefore having a beneficial impact on their learning and attainment,” said Mr Baker.

“Jamie Oliver came to this school 10 years ago with Jamie’s School Dinners’ project and we signed up to it. We decided it was massively important for every child and for future generations. Cooking and healthy eating are now embedded in the curriculum, not just an addition to the end of the day."

Discover the changes Jamie is lobbying to make after he and his team looked at the effects of sugar consumption on the people of the UK: www.jamieoliver.com/sugar-rush