AN ECO-FRIENDLY school in North Ascot has become the first in Bracknell Forest to have earned a second Green Flag for its environmental efforts.

The Mayor of Bracknell Forest, Cllr Tony Virgo, raised the Green Flag at Ascot Heath Infant School to commemorate its groundbreaking achievement.

The school had to set five 'green' targets and accomplish them within a two-year time frame in order to be given the coveted award.

Objectives included reducing energy usage, encouraging pupils to walk to school, increasing biodiversity in the school grounds, extending gardening opportunities to all children and carrying out litter patrols to keep the venue and surrounding community free from rubbish.

Headteacher Catherine Bates hailed the second Green Flag as a fantastic result.

She said: "I am so proud of the all the children, staff, parents and governors who have worked together towards this award.

"Obtaining the Green Flag Award is something that the whole school and its surrounding community can be proud of."

Mrs Bates believed the greater challenge would be to maintain what the school has achieved thus far and to find ways of improving even further.

"If our children, through learning about green issues at school, grow up and be aware of keeping our wonderful planet safe and clean and with natural resources enough for everyone on it then I will feel it is a job well done!" she added.

Ascot Heath Infants already holds Bronze and Silver Flags and gained its first Green Flag in November 2013.