A PRIMARY school which formed its own eco-council has been chosen as a finalist in this years Green Guardian Awards.

Youngsters at Forster Park School in Boundfield Road, Catford, have also transformed a derelict garden in to an allotment where they grow food all year round.

The eco-council includes six pupils and three teachers and was set up to find ways which make the school cleaner and greener.

Children aged seven to 11 also help maintain two wildlife gardens at the school, which is home to nesting robins, toads, frogs and newts.

Pupils have made bird and bat boxes and other wildlife habitats to increase bio-diversity at the school.

Learning mentor Graeme Slate plans to educate the rest of the community by holding composting lessons for parents.

Mr Slate said: “Our school is trying to be a model of how we can do things with a small amount of money.

“The allotment started two years ago and we built it from scratch. Now we are growing food all year round. We are currently growing leeks and potatoes.”

Every class now recycles as much rubbish as possbile which has resulted in the schools landfill waste being reduced by 80 per cent.

Four large wheelie bins and one cow bin are filled up on a weekly basis full of recycling.

EDF energy is working with the school to advise it on how to reduce its energy consumption.

The school plans to improve insulation which will cut bills in half and provide the funding for another teaching assistant.

The efforts of the children have been recognised by the BBC which chose them to promote the BBC dig campaign on Gardener’s world.

The school has also achieved the highest level in the Royal Horticultural Society schools campaign.