Oxford Community School has been named the county's greenest and most eco-friendly secondary school.

The school in Glanville Road, has become the first in the county to achieve a Green Flag Eco-Schools award.

Pupils have got involved in everything from growing and selling organic vegetables, to reducing the school's carbon emissions.

A-Level pupil Chris Bateman, 18, has been the leading force behind the project, acting as eco-schools co-ordinator.

He said: "It's basically working towards environmental awareness for students. There are primary schools in the county who have got the Green Flag, but we are the first secondary school and it is quite a big achievement. Hopefully we will inspire other schools to follow our lead."

The school launched its campaign after receiving a silver award in January 2007.

It has been run by the student forum, a group of 60 pupils representing all those at the school, with Chris at the helm.

And pupils have worked with the primary schools which feed into the school to help reduce their impact on the environment.

Chris, from Kidlington, said: "We think this is very important for the school and for the community around us.

"Being a community school, it is something we can take out to people. We are just getting involved with local businesses and helping them become more environmentally aware.

"It's great that we actually can do something. Students have got a voice and we can make a difference to the world around us."

Fellow pupil Natalie Seamer, 16, of Cowley, said: "I think it's really great because it is going to benefit the school a lot.

"It has been a really good experience and I have learned a lot. It has been something not just that my school has achieved, but which I was personally involved in."

Among the initiatives are: *Mass recycling scheme for paper, plastics, ink cartridges and mobile phones including a paper recycling box in every room, ink cartridge recycling in reception and ink cartridge envelopes sent out to parents and local businesses *Reclamation projects around the school site including the quad area, the organic garden, memorial gardens and plans for a school woodlands area *Attendance at the Oxfordshire County Council carbon reduction launch event *Work with the school's senior management team to reduce the site's carbon emissions by changing to an energy supplier which uses wind farms *Work with the Isis Partnership primary schools to help feeder primaries reduce their impact on the environment *Production of a school travel plan detailing how students, staff and visitors access the site. Each student is given a travel pack including bus timetables and bike routes.

A celebration will be held at the school on Thursday, March 6, when local politicians, businesses and schools will be invited to help mark the pupils' achievement.