IF SAVING the world is down to education then a Liskeard school is heading in the right direction.

Pupils and staff at Upton Cross Primary School are celebrating having new solar panels to join the wind turbine in the school grounds.

Thirty panels were fitted on Upton Cross Primary School's roof earlier this year to meet about a third of its electricity needs and save approximately five tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

A live display shows pupils how much wind and solar power they are generating.

Earlier this week, to mark the official launch of the solar panels, the children built solar toys, took part in solar energy workshops and learned about ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

Head teacher Mark Clutsom said: "I am thrilled with the progress we are making, both in terms of reducing our consumption of energy, producing our own and making the children and wider community aware that small changes really can make a huge difference.

"Together with the extra insulation we installed last year, the children's monitoring of our energy consumption keeps the need to save energy in the front of our minds.

"We are regularly reading the IT readouts, showing how much energy we have produced and carbon dioxide saved."

The cost of the renewable energy project and related educational materials was met by £18,500 from the EDF Energy Green Fund, £15,925 from the Government's Low Carbon Buildings Programme and £2,500 from the NCSL Sustainable Schools Grant.

Two years ago Upton Cross became the first school in Cornwall to install a wind turbine, supported by EDF Energy and the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

In future, the school hopes to install a wood pellet boiler and ground source heat pump.

Peter Thorn, who leads EDF Energy's Programme for Greener Schools, said: "We are proud to support the wind and solar energy projects at Upton Cross Primary School.

"This is part of our commitment to helping schools install renewable energy technology."

Last year Upton Cross was the South West winner of the DCFS Award for Sustainable Schools.

It is also one of the Government's sustainable champion schools and this year it organised a sustainability conference for primary head teachers in Cornwall.

The school has also won three Green Flag Eco School Awards for its work over the last decade and was one of the first schools to register for EDF Energy's Programme for Greener Schools.

The pupils are actively involved in cutting the school's carbon footprint, with the eco-committee ensuring appliances and lights are turned off.

The school also uses water saving devices, rainwater harvesting, recycling and composting to save resources and a school minibus service reduces car journeys.