Britain's greenest school

Not so long ago, the site of Liverpool's newest secondary school was a disused rubbish tip - strewn with syringes, condoms and junk.

Now it has become the country's first state-aided "green" academy for 11- to 16-year-olds, dedicated to improving young people's understanding of the environment.

The St Francis of Assisi Academy, which is to be officially opened next week in one of the city's most deprived areas, is the epitome of urban regeneration. It is also the first of Tony Blair's flagship academies to specialise in the environment - and set to be a prototype for others. A second is planned in nearby Knowsley.

The focus on green education starts from day one - all seven classes for 11- and 12-year-olds have a garden attached. Each class is given £1,000 to design and cultivate theirs - with the help of the Groundwork Trust, an environmental charity.

The project shows how environmental studies can be taught throughout the school curriculum. Maths lessons, for instance, can cover the financial transactions needed to buy materials for the garden. In geography, pupils can study the soil and decide what would be most likely to flourish in it.

Pupils' awareness that they are entering a different kind of school comes before they enter the classroom. The outer walls are covered with plants to help drainage - and resemble mossy banks rather than a traditional classroom block. A solar-powered atrium harnesses the sun and provides up to 3 per cent of the school's electricity.

Schools in other parts of the country have been making pilgrimages to see how St Francis of Assisi is putting ideals into practice. It will add a new dimension to the Government's "choice agenda for parents", offering them the chance of a green-focused education for their children.

Interest in the venture has mushroomed - 300 parents queued for 180 places in September. This is in a poor part of the city where schools have struggled to survive.

"We're dead lucky to come here because it's so modern," said Robyn Mooney, 12, a first-year pupil. And her impression of her first day at the school? "It was like - wow!"

Jim Burke, the headteacher, said: "It doesn't look like a traditional school." But he insisted it would offer the full national curriculum as well as its specialism. The former Roman Catholic comprehensive wants to double the percentage of pupils getting five A*-C grade GCSEs, to 60 per cent.

The impetus behind the campaign for a green academy came from the Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Rev James Jones. He and Mr Burke believe the focus on the environment will switch disaffected youngsters back to learning.

In addition to encouraging all children to take environmental sciences at GCSE level, the pupils will also be able to work on the land. The school backs on to Newsham Park - one of Liverpool's most underused amenities - which is undergoing a regeneration project. Its rangers are set to be based in the school - with pupils shadowing them and doing regeneration work.

At present St Francis is made up of pupils from the struggling Roman Catholic comprehensive - and a new intake of 180 11-year-olds. It will increase to 900 pupils. According to the bishop, former pupils are working harder. "We transferred Year 11 (the GCSE year) here first and when Year 10 followed, they were surprised at how hard they were now working," he said.

Milly Jo Fletcher, 16, the head girl, says behaviour is better. "It was a culture shock coming here," she said. "It wasn't that good in the old school. The technology here is up to date and we have everything we need. Behaviour is better here because of the environment."

The school, which raised £2m from sponsors and cost £20m to build, has another unique feature: it is jointly run by the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches. It does not select pupils although half the places are reserved for parents living in the Roman Catholic diocese to compensate them for their school closing. The other half are allocated strictly on proximity - the Church of England not having insisted on priority to churchgoers.

The academies programme has come under fire for being elitist - concentrating too much cash on too few schools. St Francis of Assisi, though, aims to counteract that by offering other neighbouring schools the chance to send pupils to it for environment-based courses.