A DARLINGTON school is celebrating gaining an accolade for its work to promote environmental awareness among its pupils.

Harrowgate Hill Junior School has been given a national Eco-School Green Flag award after an inspection.

All decisions on environmental projects are made by the school council, which debates ideas suggested by staff and children, and has its own budget.

Teacher Graham Temby, Eco-School co-ordinator, said: "The scheme must be run in such a way that the children feel that they have ownership. It cannot just be one or two enthusiastic teachers calling all the shots. "

Initiatives have included:

* A walk-to-school programme to reduce traffic congestion and aid fitness. The school campaigned successfully for traffic speed control measures in Thompson Street West.

* Water conservation, ensuring that the school's lavatory and hygiene systems are efficient.

* Reduced energy use by switching off lights in empty rooms, and setting up a wind turbine that charges a battery capable of running a computer and a television linked to a bird box camera.

* Teacher Debra Colegrove oversees a healthy living project and the school featured on a television anti-smoking programme. It gained a Sport England Activemark Award for excellence in PE.

* Extensive waste recycling.

* The grounds are managed for wildlife. There are butterfly gardens, a bird feeding station and wormery, and the pond contains frogs.

* The school has been involved in the development of Drinkfield Marsh Nature Reserve.

* Children, parents and grandparents made boxes for the reintroduction of harvest mice on Teesside.

Mr Temby said: "The Eco-School Project has been a great success at Harrowgate Hill, encouraging children to treat their world with a little more respect than, perhaps, previous generations have done, so that they will grow into more aware adults and help provide their children and grandchildren with a cleaner, healthier environment in which to thrive."