OUR PRESS RELEASE

Pupils at All Saints' CE Primary School awarded a coveted ECO SCHOOLS GREEN FLAG (with DISTINCTION)

Pupils at All Saints' CE Primary School have earned an international accreditation this academic year, recognising their amazing work in marking their school more environmentally friendly and raising eco-awareness in fellow pupils.

Eco-Schools is an international education programme that prompts young people to explore sustainability and climate change and take action.

Pupils at All Saints' collaborated with Yvonne Dykes to conduct an environmental review, assessing how eco-friendly their school is.  They reviewed everything from the school's recycling practices, to energy usage, to how environmental themes are covered in classrooms.  Building on their findings, the pupils and Yvonne Dykes planned a year of activities that would up their green-credentials.

The group connected their work to 3 Eco-School topics - Bio-Diversity, Healthy Eating and Transport.

Activities included - taking part in the Queen's Canopy and the RSPB Big Birdwatch.  We use reusable cutlery and plates in our canteen and the EYFS and KS1 use reusable cups rather than the little individual cartons of milk.  We encourage children and staff to walk or cycle to school.

"The children have worked so hard with gaining the Eco-School Status, I am so proud of them all - thank you to Kirsty our school chef and Simon our caretaker - they have both helped so much with the children on our Eco-Committee." Yvonne Dykes, Eco-Coordinator.

"Being an Eco-School is worth working for, because it's so important to save our planet.  And to educate children and parents - that it is not too late and we all can do something to save our planet - even just walking to school or having a meat free day."   Richard Graham Year 6 Eco-School Committee.

Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said "Earning an Eco-Schools Green Flag Award takes passion, commitment and a desire to make a difference.  Pupils should be proud of their great work.  They're and inspiration and it makes us feel heartened and positive about the future of our planet."

Mrs Smallwood, Head Teacher "We are so proud of all our children they have done a fantastic job of working for the Eco-School Award - Well Done everybody."

To learn more about Eco-School head to www.eco.schools.org.uk 

We are ECO CHAMPIONS !!!

Eco-schools is an international award program that guides schools on their sustainable journey, providing a framework to help embed these principles into the heart of the school life.

We address a variety of environmental themes, ranging from litter and waste to healthy living and biodiversity.  The children formulate an action plan based on an environmental review that takes place at the beginning of every year.  This is directly linked to our curriculum planning.

Measuring and monitoring is an integral part of the Eco-Schools program, providing us with all the evidence we need to showcase our environmental success.

We hope to be awarded the Eco-School 'Green Flag' this academic year.

www.eco-school.org.uk

School Eco-Code

• We try not to waste energy and heat
• We try not to produce much waste and to recycle or reuse what we can.
• We encourage people to bike and walk to school, share cars.
• We try not to waste water and to use rainwater where possible.
• We grow fruit and vegetables, eat healthy food and keep fit.
• We try to keep the grounds free of litter.
• We learn about other countries and how our actions here can affect them.
• We try to make our school grounds fun for us all and good for  wildlife.
• We learn about animals and how to help them.

How can you Help ?

• Please send in a reusable bottle instead of single use plastic cups or bottles.

• Please use reusable food wrapping such as alternatives to cling film such as beeswax / vegan wraps.

• Please NO / minimal single use plastic (SUP) snacks items in lunch boxes.

• Please walk / cycle to school we have great and safe bike / scooter rack.

• Instead of buying new uniform have a look at the second hand school uniform stall run in the playground every end of term or try the local charity shops.

• Save Energy by switching off lights and electrical equipment.

• Look after the wildlife in your garden by providing bug hotels / insect homes / bird feeders.

• Grow vegetables / fruit / plants to encourage bees and eat healthily.

• Waste – have separate waste bins and compost bins for garden and vegetable waste.

• Recycle old cards and Re-use cereal boxes by donating them to school for crafty activities.

• Consider having a water butts to collect rain water for use in your garden.

• Consider having at least 2 days Meat free for your evening meal.

We have elected students to be on an ‘Eco Committee’ and helped them to come up with, and implement sustainable practices, we also have Energy Monitors – who are responsible for saving energy at break time throughout the school. We encourage turning off lights and electrical equipment when not in use and make signs as visual reminders. Turning down heating or limit when it is on to save energy.

We have encouraged our school to look into switching to green energy provider and we have had solar panels that regularly give back to the National Grid.

Each classroom has a separate waste / recycling bins / compost bins for children to use in classrooms and around the school and in playground with appropriate signage.

Re-use cardboard (from cereal boxes etc.), scrap paper, baking paper donations for crafts and cutting practise.  Families can donate these when we need them.

We encourage using both sides of the paper and/or scrap for drawings / colourings (and have pictures printed on both sides).

Compost appropriate garden and food waste in school garden.

One of our Actions is to set up a Water butt to collect rain water for use in school garden.

Offer tap water only rather than squash or bottled drinks.

We would like parents to send in a reusable bottle instead of single use plastic cups or bottles.

We take care of our school grounds we are so proud of them,

• We have planted over 350 trees this year as part of the Queen's Canopy
• We have bug hotels, insect homes, bird feeders, hedgehog homes, squirrel feeders to encourage wildlife into our school grounds and forest area. 

Throughout the school year we take part in different campaigns to learn about the biodiversity at our school such as the Queen's Canopy and the RSPB Big Bird Watch.

• We use reusable cutlery, cups and plates in the school canteen.

• EYFS & KS1 have their milk in reusable cups For the schools  instead of lots of single use milk cartons.

• We use re-useable / washable aprons for kitchen staff or class activities.

• We use re-usable / washable table covers for class activities.

• We regularly partake in litter picking around our school and community.

• To reduce waste we encourage parents use reusable food wrapping such as alternatives to cling film such as beeswax / vegan wraps, and reusable container for class baking activities.

• To reduce waste we encourage NO / minimal single use plastic (SUP) snacks items in lunch boxes.

• We bring a healthy snack into school everyday.

• Vegetarian and vegan food options available on our school menu.

• We encourage children bring healthy packed lunches.

• Our School Council have worked with the kitchen staff with healthy option menus for school dinners.

• The Gardening Club which runs in the Summer Term, the children plant garden veg / fruit patches and we then support children in caring for them and making healthy recipes.

• All years in the Science Curriculum plant seeds/bulbs, look after the plants and discuss topics such as how bees need plants.

• Our Eco-Committee suggest to walk / cycle to school we have great facilities to store bikes and scooters throughout the day.

             *PLEASE REMEMBER TO WEAR A SAFETY HELMET*

• At our school we help numerous organisations through Global Links

• We regularly have Collective Worships from visitors who have been to Africa and inform about how we can help them.

• We are raising money though non-uniform days for the people of Ukraine and giving to the Red Cross.

• We have a Charity Days to sponsor a child in Uganda.

• We learn about Carbon Footprints, Fairtrade and Foodbanks in school.

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• We support recycling schemes for baby food pouches, crisp packets, batteries such as Terracycle.

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• We stock eco-themed books in the school library.

Helpful Websites

School Sustainable Alliance http://sustainable-schools-alliance.org.uk/

Eco School https://www.eco-schools.org.uk/

www.keepbritaintidy.org/eco-schools/

Carbon Trust (https://www.carbontrust.com/small-to-medium-enterprises/) assesses your carbon footprint / water footprint provide recommendations.

Trading for Good https://www.tradingforgood.co.uk/how-it-works/ wants to assist small businesses in creating good in communities)

www.outdoorclassroomday.com

‘Surfers against sewage’ campaign on plastic free schools https://www.sas.org.uk/plastic-free-schools/

http://www.communityplanning.net/pub-film/pdf/GreenDay.pdf