A trail-blazing eco school has signed up to be the first in the county to lead a new air pollution monitoring initiative.

St John’s CEP School in Maidstone will work with Maidstone Borough Council to assess Nitrogen Oxide levels around the school.

Members of the school’s Eco Team will play a leading role and take charge of monitors around the school site for 10 months.

The air pollution monitoring initiative has been launched by the council in collaboration with the KM Charity Team to help encourage families to switch from the school run to walking, cycling, scooters and Park and Stride.

The charity’s new Super Wow (Walk on Wednesday) scheme will support schools with the drive to promote green travel each week, and enlisting pupils to help assess pollution levels will strengthen the campaign.

St John’s has an impressive track-record on green issues with more than 3,500 green journeys already recorded this academic year through the Wow scheme which the school has been involved in since 2013. The school has won top honours at the annual Green School Awards for the last two years.

Schools in Maidstone have until July 1 to sign up for Super Wow at a reduced price and can join the Nitrogen Oxide monitoring initiative run by MidKent Environmental Health for free or a nominal cost depending on their location in the county town.

As well as raising awareness of air pollution and the importance of reducing car journeys to school, the initiative complements primary school science and health education aspects of the national curriculum.

Alternatively, it could be completed as an extra-curricular activity with an environment club, green team or eco committee.

To find out more about the air pollution monitoring scheme email EHAdmin@MidKent.gov.uk

Schools can sign up to Super Wow this term at a 20% discount and have green travel in place for September. They will also go into a prize draw to win 400 books for the school library. Contact Sarah Clyne at sclyne@thekmgroup.co.uk or call 0844 264 0291 or visit www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk/wow