STUDENTS stand a chance of scooping a major award for encouraging younger pupils to go green.

Youngsters at The Thomas Hardye School and their teachers have been selected as South West finalists for the 2010 Teaching Awards in Bath tomorrow.

Their dedication to the environment caught the attention of judges after Puddletown Middle School pupil Antonio Pullen-Clarke nominated the Dorchester school for the Sustainable Schools award.

She and her classmates were visited by pupils from Thomas Hardye’s Student Voice, which toured schools in the area to give advice on reducing carbon emissions.

Kaye Chittenden, assistant headteacher at Hardye’s, said: “Our Student Voice decided they wanted to take part in the 10:10 project to reduce carbon emissions by 10 per cent in 2010.

“They decided to get the message across to schools in the Dorchester Area Schools Partnership by doing a roadshow and asking pupils to sign up to the pledge.

“They did a PowerPoint presentation and showed some artwork about the damage we are doing to the planet.”

Judges from the 2010 Teaching Awards put the school in the running for the environmental honour after meeting with geography teachers.

They also met student Thomas Hearing, who won the Young Scientist of the Year title in March.

Mrs Chittenden spoke to the judging panel about the school’s links with the Jurassic Coast team and its involvement with an environmentally-friendly waste plant which is being built close to Poundbury.

She added: “It’s absolutely brilliant that the students and their work have been recognised.”

Finalists from across the South West of England will attend the 2010 Teaching Awards in Bath.

The winners will go on to represent their region at the national teaching awards in London.