An Ashford primary school has stepped up a gear with its eco-friendly activity by joining an award-winning green travel initiative.

St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School staged a special assembly to mark its official launch of the Super Wow (Walk on Wednesday) scheme.

Super Wow is organised by the children’s educational charity the KM Charity Team as part of the KM Walk to School campaign. Pupils are encouraged to get to school under their own steam through walking, riding a bike or scooter, or persuading drivers to park and stride.

The school, on Quantock Drive, is using the scheme to promote to pupils and parents the importance of green travel for the sake of the environment and their own health and wellbeing.

Pupils, including nine year-old Solomon Olajide, have been given the role of walk to school monitors and will help record the number of green journeys achieved by their class each week.

Wowzer, mascot of the KM Walk to School campaign, made a special visit to witness the school’s first trophy presentation which was awarded to Penguins Class. The children were thrilled to receive an extra prize of a ticket each to Wildwood animal park near Herne Bay.

Sarah Clyne, walk to school project officer, said: “We’re delighted to welcome St Teresa’s to the Super Wow family and I’d like thank our friends at Wildwood for helping them to launch the scheme with a bang.

“The children are learning how to embrace a more active life and develop essential road safety skills, as well as enjoying quality time with family and friends.”

She added: “Penguins Class excelled themselves and we can’t wait to see how the whole school gets on with the range of fun walk to school challenges we have planned in 2019.”

Classes compete each week for the Green Class of the Week Trophy, while monthly inter-school competitions offer prizes such as tickets to leisure attractions including Leeds Castle and Diggerland.

Top classes also have the chance to win visits by storytellers like arts and crafts hero Phil Gallagher who presents the ever-popular CBeebies series Mister Maker.

The KM Charity Team has won a total of five Green Apple Awards, run by The Green Organisation, in recognition of its long-running KM Walk to School campaign.

Organisations supporting the campaign include the Kent, Medway, Maidstone and Ashford councils, along with Whites Transport, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Golding Vision (part of Golding Homes), Ashford International Hotel, Orbit, Volker Highways, Countrystyle Recycling, Specsavers, London Borough of Bexley, Eurostar, Whitefriars, London Array, and EduKit.

Schools can find out more by contacting Sarah Clyne at sclyne@thekmgroup.co.uk or on 0844 264 0291 or by visiting www.KmWalkToSchool.co.uk/Wow