A GREEN flag is proudly flying at a Basingstoke infant school for being environmentally friendly.

Park View Infant School has been awarded the Green Flag status from Keep Britain Tidy after being assessed on the various eco measures it has implemented.

Cheryl Hawkings, deputy headteacher at the school, in Pinkerton Road, South Ham, said: “Keep Britain Tidy run an eco schools programme and so you self-assess yourself for bronze and silver.

“But when it gets to the Green Flag stage an assessor comes in and assesses whether you are working within their guidelines.

“There are nine different areas to make sure you are an eco school such as biodiversity, saving energy and water.”

Pupils at Park View have been working very hard in order to achieve the Green Flag gong for their school.

They helped build a pond in the school grounds to attract wildlife.

Another project was to set up a bug hotel, which was called Insect Palace.

Mrs Hawkings added: “We also have links with Hart Wildlife, so we have hedgehogs that they need to rehome, they come to us so they can go back into the wild.

“We also do composting and recycling.”

The environment is also included in the school’s curriculum and pupils have been working on various projects, such as learning all about global warming.

Mrs Hawkings said: “It’s about preparing the children for the world and society they are going to live in later on.

“We need to teach them how to look after the planet.

“We are very proud of our children and proud of the work they are doing to look after the environment.”