YOUNG gardeners are transforming their school grounds into an “edible campus” as part of an innovative project.

Bolton St Catherine’s Academy, in Harwood, has enlisted the services of a horticulturist to work with children in line with the national curriculum requirement to introduce children to gardening.

Gardener Claire Drury and the pupils are adding the final touches to the multi-million pound school which opened in the summer of 2012.

Already green fingered youngsters have drawn up what they would like to see in the school’s grounds, with ideas including fruit teas, herb garden, vegetable plot — and all that is on just one balcony.

The project is to get these and lots of other ideas growing throughout the grounds and open spaces, including the school roof.

Mrs Drury said: “This is a groundbreaking project, it is very different to what I have done before. The last time I was at a school I was working five hours a week and here I am working four days a week.

“There is so much space here and so many opportunities which can be embedded in the curriculum such as maths and design.

“There are lots of benefits for children taking part in projects like this.

"It promotes health which leads to improved learning outcomes, it improves the environment. There is a correlation between green spaces and positive mental health.”

The project is being run in partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust which is hoping to get other green community organisations involved, such as Men in Sheds, under which a local men’s group will create nursery beds and other areas needed to bring the children’s designs to life.

Senior project manager James Hall said: “This is a year-long commitment from the school in which teachers can learn and it is fantastic for the children who have been taking part in this for four weeks now.”

He said the idea was for teachers to learn how to make the project sustainable. Karley Muigai, aged eight, said: “I love gardening and here you get to learn outside and explore the outdoor world and the wonders of the earth.”

Leon Arrowsmith, also aged eight, said: “You can have fun, get muddy and learn at the same time.

“It is good to learn outdoors. It is better than playing on the X-Box.”

Ellie Taylor, aged 13, said: “I enjoyed designing the fruit garden and we have learned a lot.”

And Alex Latham, also 13, said: “A project like this helps the environment. It’s good to introduce young people to projects like this from a young age.”