He helps run an “Eco-Check” scheme at school, visiting classrooms at lunchtime to check which teachers have turned off lights and computers and measuring the power consumption. This check is followed up with a name and shame at school assemblies, whilst good teachers are given certificates and encouragement to do more. There are awards for staff who have done the best, and booby prizes for those who have done badly.

At school, Zach is on the eco board, and has been involved in tree planting exercises, a project looking after sheep on school land and numerous other tasks. He also attends external events on the school’s behalf.

His mum is very supportive “the scheme is hilarious, whenever I go to parent night they’re petrified of him, dread him coming in – they know they’re being monitored. He’s not scared to come forward, he’s not scared of who he is. He has no qualms about standing up in assembly and naming and shaming the teachers.”

She said “He’s one of those kids, whatever he does to the max, he gives up his own time, puts his whole heart in to it. I’m really proud of him.”

Zach will be interviewed as a nominee for head boy, although some staff may not be so sure, his mum says “teachers tell me “we hate it when we see your son, it makes us worry!”

Looking to the future, Zach wants to emulate Richard Branson and start a travel company, albeit one with a twist. He wants to own his own eco travel company, ensuring that all his holidays are environmentally friendly.

He started attending Eco Club because a friend did and says: “I didn’t really think much of eco stuff before I went but then I thought it was quite fun. There’s lots of digging and outdoor work, I like that. So I got into it a bit more and started going every week and now here I am.”

Liam’s affection for gardening and manual work has lead to a wider interest in sustainability. He is taking an environmental science GCSE and considering carrying it on to A Levels. Through the Eco Club he has attended parents evenings selling recycled paper notepads, raising £80 for the Brian Foster Centre of Environmental Education. He also runs two recycling-based games at the summer fair to help teach others about reusing and separating waste before chucking it in the bin. Liam is a member of the eco-committee, a student council working to improve the ecology around and sustainability of the school, and is the eco representative on the school council.

Environmental education co-ordinator Rob Sandercock says: “The eco club seems to have clicked for Liam as he has attended most weeks for the last four years. He has a dry and quirky sense of humour that has lifted my spirits on many a miserable day. He took on the recycled pad project as his own and spent a number of evenings selling them to parents at parents’ evening. He has also come to all the Woodland working days we have throughout the year and where he has actively helped manage the woodland.”