We are proud to be an Eco-School with a Green Flag status and take this initiative very seriously. Sustainability and environmental concerns have been embedded in our Core Principles since 2008 and in Spring 2021 we gained our 5th Green Flag, which means that we have attained “Sustainable School Status”. This has to be renewed regularly and we are always looking for ways to improve our eco-credentials. Initiatives include using a green energy supplier, recycling, reducing emissions, reducing energy use, saving water and more. Sustainability is embedded in the curriculum in all years, there is wide, and growing use of the grounds made in the girls’ daily life in the school. Our extra-curricular opportunities also allow girls to extend their basic interest and skills.
Our 10 areas of sustainability are: Waste, Litter, Biodiversity, Transport, Healthy Living, Energy, School Grounds, Global Citizenship, Water, Marine.
Our Eco Council – girls elected by their peers – meet every half term with staff, parents and governors to form ideas and initiatives for progression. Our eco-councillors help inspire and motivate the rest of the girls and regularly present assemblies to the rest of the school about current imitative or even just to inspire them about our awesome world.
“Pupils develop a strong appreciation of the importance of non-material aspects of life, valuing the natural world and protecting it and all the creatures within, supporting by the school’s commitment to environmental issues as an eco-school.” Focused Compliance and Educational Quality Inspection Report 2022
The British Government wants every school to be a ‘sustainable school’. The framework for this aim was set out in 2006 with long-term aspirations for schools to offer mainstream learning about sustainable development issues and sustainable practices in everyday school life.
Is a school energy efficient? Can less water be wasted? How does a school get rid of its rubbish? What happens to food waste? Is paper recycled? How does a school decide where to buy the things that it needs? Has it an ethical buying policy? How does a school use its green spaces? Are there wildlife havens? Are a lot of herbicides/pesticides used?
These are all issues about sustainability and Eco-Schools is an international award programme that guides schools on their sustainable journey, providing a framework to help embed these principles into the heart of school life. We are proud to have been awarded Eco-School status for all the work we have done, and continue to do, to make our school more sustainable and educate our girls on eco-matters.
