THREE schools across Gwent have received £1,000 between them to develop environmental projects that can act as teaching resources and benefit their community.

The schools in the counties of Caerphilly, Monmouthshire and Newport have already started on projects that will help children in a range of subject studies including science, art and English.

At Alway Junior and Infants School in Newport, special educational needs teacher Rhys Bebb said the £250 received from the Volvo Practical Environmental Projects fund would be used to provide trees and other plants in the schools' Jubilee Wildlife Garden.

He said: "Last year was the 50th anniversary of the school and we celebrated that by creating a wildlife environment out at the back of the school for the children to spend time in.

"There's going to be trees there and we are hoping to create a patch with wild flowers."

At Pentwynmawr Primary School near Newbridge, a school improvement project involving pupils in years five and six is under way.

Head teacher Jan Beet said pupils had been raising money to improve their school.

She said the school had approached Volvo for funding and had been given £250.

She said: "We have used some of the money to paint grids for hop scotch and other games on the play yard. We also have a school garden.

"We have been clearing up the area and making 'mini-beast' habitats.

"Our next project is to replant the flower garden with plants that will attract insects and butterflies."

The biggest donation, £500, has been awarded to Pembroke Primary School, Chepstow. The school is establishing a pond surrounded by a natural wildlife area. The development is intended to increase the biodiversity within the school. The money from Volvo will be used to build a viewing platform.

Petra MacIver, year six teacher, is in charge of the project.

She said: "It's a wildlife area we are in the process of developing. We started the project last March.

"Monmouthshire Countryside Service put a fence up and dug out a pond and the local fire service filled the pond with water.

"Then every child in the school, 350 of them, planted a tree or a bush donated by the Countryside Service.

"With the money from Volvo we are looking to construct a platform over the pond for the children to stand on so they can see what's in the pond."