Like many schools in the borough St Mary's Catholic Infant School in Bedford Park is close to main roads and surrounded by high rise tower blocks.

But that has not stopped the school from doing its bit to help protect the environment and escape its own concrete jungle.

Nominated for the Green School of the Year award sponsored by Cleanaway one of the six categories in our Green Guardian awards by learning support assistant Janet Saunders, pupils and staff in the school are keen to be green and like to encourage others to do the same.

"We are a school in a concrete jungle and we do an awful lot to encourage the children. I nominated them because they do try their hardest in an area with no greenery," explained Janet.

All of the children including those from the nursery recently donned their wellies and walked from the school to Park Hill, raising £600 in the process that will go towards installing an organic garden in the school grounds.

"The nursery children were slower because of their little legs but there was a really good response with people carrying placards," said Janet, adding: "When we were on Wellesley Road lots of people stopped and asked what we were doing."

In the past two years, St Mary's has scooped a London schools environment award from the mayor of London and a Smarter Croydon award from the council in recognition of its dedication to clearing litter, bio-diversity issues and wildlife work.

There are recycling boxes in every classroom, the children have made posters for the toilets encouraging people not to waste water and every child was given an energy efficient lightbulb to take home.

And it is not just being green that the school likes to encourage; children are also rewarded for eating healthy lunches.

"We want to get everybody aware of healthy things and make them aware of pollution.

"It is very important, especially when you hear about obesity in children.

"The children take it in their stride," said Janet, who also likes to lead by example by being green in her own home.