THERE has been something of a buzz around Oxford’s Dragon School recently.

The excitement is all because the school’s young beekeepers have taken their first honey order.

From this week, the St Giles and Summertown branches of sandwich shop Taylors of Oxford are stocking Dragon Nectar, made by pupils in Years Seven and Eight who look after the school’s hives.

The sandwich firm received its first delivery from a group of the pupils on Monday.

Pupil Sasha Radkovsky, 13, said: “I’m quite proud, as the jars look really professional on the shelves.

“It was also nice to meet our first-ever customer when she bought a jar while we were there.”

Sasha added: “It allows me to learn more about nature and the environment.

“I like handling bees and I enjoy knowing I’m making something I can eat.”

Pupils began keeping bees two years ago, as part of a range of initiatives to make the school sustainable and eco-friendly.

They now have five hives around the North Oxford school’s grounds.

Science teacher Kate Heath said: “We wanted to show other schools and children this was a worthwhile and very achievable project, with a super end product which can be retailed commercially.

“We have a number of eco projects already in place, initiated as part of our engagement in the international Eco Schools programme.

“As well as the bees, the garden of one Dragon boarding house is home to two hens, which reside in a coop designed and built by pupils.”

The pupils received lessons in beekeeping and are now experts on the topic, advising other schools on beekeeping and hosting local beekeeping groups. They even designed the label for their honey jars.

Martin Copson, the managing director of Taylors of Oxford, said: “We decided to stock it because it’s a locally-produced product and it has been of great educational value for the children to see how honey is produced.

“They were able to study the process right through to the actual product on a retailer’s shelves. It tastes good too.

“We would have done this for any local school who had approached us with such a worthwhile project.”

The Dragon Nectar honey costs £4.95 a jar.

The profits from the project will go towards the costs of looking after the bee hives and beekeeping equipment.