While students up and down the country skipped school to protest against climate change in Westminster, youngsters a little closer to home took to the streets to demand action.

Pupils from St Bartholomew's Primary School in Sydenham set off from school grounds at 10am on Friday to march through the High Street, armed with placards.

Headteacher Sara Davies said all 380 pupils from the school joined the march which was inspired by the Youth Strike 4 Climate movement.

For the last four months, students across the UK have been marching on Parliament Square to demand action from politicians on climate change.

They have followed in the footsteps of 16-year-old Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg, who has been skipping school every Friday since last August to picket outside the Swedish Parliament.

Sharon Houlden, a mum who has two daughters at St Bartholomew's, told News Shopper: "After the climate change protests in London, the children wanted to get involved. They've been learning about climate change at school.

"I thought it was brilliant. The children are being made aware of climate change and they're being taught to recycle through a recycling initiative at the school."

Sharon's daughters, 10-year-old Jeane and seven-year-old Sylvia were keen to get involved in the protest after learning about plastic pollution at school.

Speaking to News Shopper, Jeane described the march as "really fun."

She added: "There were some people who were quite supportive as we were walking down the road. There were people following us and there were also some people in their cars beeping."

Although a few people on the High Street sneered the pupils "should be at school", Jeane said she and her friends proudly carried on marching.

In future, Jeane thinks she might want to be involved in making electric cars which will help prevent air pollution.

Jeane and Sylvia's mum described the "moving" scene as the kids marched down the street.

"All the shopkeepers were out cheering and all the children the children really enjoyed themselves. They were banging drums and shouting save our planet," she said.

Mrs Davies praised the "great deal of positivity" from her pupils as they carried their placards down the street.

She quoted a pupil involved in the march, who said: "It's not about marching; it's not about placards; it's about change.

"We want change now."