More than 800 schoolchildren have been improving and raising their awareness of biodiversity for the next generation.

The project at Pinner Park Primary School is part of a wider biodiversity plan and will see every pupil involved in planting either planting 150 metres of native hedgerow, a micro-forest, fruit trees and a section of wildflower meadow.

All the trees and plants to be planted reflect the soil at the school and are designed to bring biodiversity net gain to the area.

Among these are 22 native species of trees and shrubs suited to the heavy clay soil in the area, including alder, hazel, hawthorn, hornbeam, oak, poplar and willow.

The wildflower meadow will be a native mix designed to attract pollinating insects.

Nick Waldron, head teacher at Pinner Park Primary School, said: "Teaching about sustainability and biodiversity is very much part of our curriculum so it is exciting for the children to have the opportunity to see this in action in the real world.

"Planting a forest with Ground Control will be an experience they won’t forget and cement for them the importance of looking after nature and local wildlife in their own communities for the future."

With a commitment to plant one million trees by 2025, Ground Control says it is breaking new ground in biodiversity. In 2019, the Chancellor’s spring statement made it mandatory for all new English developments to demonstrate a 10 per cent increase in biodiversity.

Brian Smith, group business development director at Ground Control, said: "The UK sits in the bottom 10 per cent of all countries globally for biodiversity and this will not improve unless government, business, scientists and not-for-profits work together to turn this looming crisis around.

"Some of the impacts we’re seeing now include native wildlife species falling and invasive species continuing to rise, but in the future this will become a much bigger problem around the ability to produce food and clean water.

"Working with the school children at Pinner Park Primary School is wonderful because it not only educates them about the importance of biodiversity, and it also empowers them to make positive changes in their own back garden and spaces through their lives."