Pupils taking part in green initiative

Children and a member of staff from Shiremoor Primary School with Geoff Crackett from the Go Smarter project.

Ten schools in the borough have been given air monitoring tubes to check their air quality. The tubes will remain in the school grounds for two weeks before being sent back to experts for analysis and reporting.

This was arranged as part of World Environment Day, which took place on Wednesday. North Tyneside Council’s Go Smarter project teamed up with Friends of the Earth to educate children on air pollution.

The schools have been selected to receive clean air packs, which contain lesson plans based on air pollution, educational posters and a downloadable assembly.

Coun Carl Johnson, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “This initiative will help to further incorporate air pollution into the curriculum and hopefully bring about behavioural change, particularly among parents who currently park near the school gates.”

Shiremoor Primary School is one of the schools selected to take part and Victoria Peart, School Council co-ordinator, said: “It is a vital part of our curriculum to encourage our children to become responsible citizens and as such, they take a passionate interest in environmental issues.

“Children are keen to encourage each other to make small changes such as riding bikes or walking to school rather than taking the car, which will make a big difference to our future. We look forward to seeing the impact of our clean air monitoring tubes.”