Pupils at Oaks Primary Academy have earned an international accreditation this academic year, recognising their amazing work in making their school more environmentally friendly and raising eco-awareness in fellow pupils.
The Eco-Schools programme was established in 1994 and is now delivered in more than 70 countries across the globe. More than 1 million pupils attended an Eco-School in England in 2022-23.
Pupils at Oaks first formed an Eco-Committee, then collaborated with staff and classes to conduct an environmental review, assessing how eco-friendly their school is. They reviewed everything from biodiversity within their school grounds to how pupils and staff members travel to school. Building on their findings, pupils then planned a year of action designed to advance their school’s green credentials, improve their local environment, and protect our planet.
The Eco-Committee connected their work to 3 Eco-Schools topics: Biodiversity, the school grounds and litter. They then planned a variety of projects and initiatives to achieve their action plan.
Mrs Mehigan said “We are incredibly proud of our Eco-Committee and all pupils and staff at Oaks in achieving this Eco-School status. The Eco-Committee developed important skills and attributes over the past year. They have given up some of their lunch times to improve our school and for that, we are incredibly grateful. I am delighted that they can see the rewards of their commitment and dedication to our school. Being an IB school, we aim to develop lifelong learners and pupils who have a shared guardianship of our planet: being a part of the Eco Committee and achieving a green flag has certainly supported our pupils in that endeavour.
Macie in Year 5 has said that her part on the Eco-Committee has helped her to make the environment recover. She is proud of the work that the team has done and says the experience has made her a better person and learner.
Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said: “The Eco-Schools Green Flag award is an internationally recognised symbol of high environmental standards. The pupils and school staff that earn the award deserve immense credit for their hard work, determination, and creativity. Their passion for protecting our planet is an inspiration to us all.”
To learn more about Eco-Schools head to their website here.