Eco-Schools

2005-2014 is the decade for Education for Sustainable Development!

In November 2006, the DFeS launched the National Framework for Sustainable Schools.  The DFeS stated that by 2020 it would like all schools to be sustainable.  Within the framework there are nine doorways, which closely align with the subjects outlined in the Eco-Schools Programme.

Currently 20% of schools within the UK are signed up to the Eco-Schools scheme and this is growing daily, with over 300 a month registering to join (Source:  Eco-Schools Conference 2007).

So, what is an Eco-School?

Eco-Schools is an environmental management system for schools, which is a whole school approach to managing the school in a more sustainable way.  Through the Eco-School Council, pupils have the opportunity to make decisions about their school around various environmental themes including energy, water, school grounds and more.

The Eco-Schools process provides an opportunity to use real in-school issues to deliver cross-curricular themes, whilst also encouraging scientific review and data analysis.  (Source:  www.eco-schools.org.uk/why/links-to-curricular).  It also links to Geography, Citizenship and Science whilst providing community links with parents, members of the wider community and pupils of the school.  Not only does the Eco-Schools scheme have the potential to bring significant savings to the school it also has the potential to raise achievements of pupils and the school’s performance as a whole.

How does this fit with Swindon?

To ensure that education for sustainable development is driven forward in Swindon, a target has been set in the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan for Swindon Borough 2006-2010. The target is to increase the number of Eco-Schools to have a minimum of 10 schools, by 2008 with the Eco-Schools green flag with all schools in the borough aiming for the green flag status by 2009.

To support this target, the Swindon Borough Council’s Sustainability team have produced an Eco-Schools Best Practice Guide, which can be downloaded by clicking on the link below.  Contained within the guide is advice on becoming an Eco-School, case studies and a list of supporting organisations that are able to help with sustainability in school.

Swindon Sustainable Schools Best Practice Guide

In Swindon, 38 schools have registered on the Programme:-

• Abbey Meads Community Primary
• Brook Field Primary
• Catherine Watye Primary
• Colebrook Junior
• Covingham Park Infant
• Covingham Park Junior
• Even Swindon Primary
• Ferndale Junior School
• Goddard Park Primary
• Grange Junior
• Greendown Community School
• Greenmeadow Primary
• Haydonleigh Primary
• Holy Family Catholic Primary School
• HREOD Parkway (Now know as Nova HREOD)
• Kingsdown Secondary
• Liden Primary
• Moredon Primary and Nursery
• Nyland Special Primary
• Nythe Primary School
• Oliver Tomkins Junior
• Peatmoor Community Primary
• Red Oaks Primary School
• Robert Le Kyng Primary
• Rodbourne Cheney School
• Shaw Ridge Primary
• Southfield Junior School
• St Francis CE Primary
• St Josephs Catholic College
• The Chalet School
• The Commonweal School
• The Ridgeway School Science Specialist Status
• Toothill Primary School
• Tregoze Primary School
• Wanborough Primary School
• Wroughton Infant School
• Wroughton Junior School

Eco-Schools Week 25-29th June 2007

As part of it’s continued commitment to environmental education, Peatmoor Community School held an Eco-School week from 25-29th June.  During the week, pupils and teachers from a school in Dihlabeng, South Africa visited Peatmoor to share best practice and discuss common issues such as sustainability, recycling, reducing, and saving energy and water. Pupils from the school learnt about a variety of environmental issues including Fairtrade, recycling and climate change.

The Eco-Week started with an open day (25 June) for teachers from local schools, parents and councillors to see an Eco-School in action. Peatmoor is only one of two schools in Swindon to have been awarded a green flag as part of the Eco Schools Programme.

Throughout the week experts from a number of organisations talked at assemblies, held workshops and gave advice; Swindon Children’s Scrapstore, Lower Shaw Farm, Wiltshire Global Education Office, Swindon Borough Council’s recycling team, Active Swindon and a local group from the Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) were among some of the supporting organisations.

A trip to Asda for Year six pupils to learn about reducing packaging, a recycling game and a talk by South African pupils visiting Peatmoor School was also delivered.  On the final day, pupils took part in a ‘bling my bike’ competition and were awarded with their prizes in assembly.

As part of the Eco-Schools programme, ENCAMS has links with schools from across the globe.  Peatmoor Community Primary School has been working with Dihlabeng Christian School in South Africa, and Kyrktasjo Primary School in Sweden. All three schools have been working on common Eco themes for their Eco School Awards.

For a copy of the Swindon Schools Best Practice Guide please follow the links below:

Best Practice Guide - Chapter 1

Best Practice Guide - Chapter 2

Best Practice Guide - Chapter 3

Best Practice Guide - Chapter 4

Best Practice Guide - Chapter 5

Best Practice Guide- -Chapter 6

Best Practice Guide - Chapter 7

Best Practice Guide - Chapter 8

Best Practice Guide - Chapter 9

Eco-Schools Forum

To further support the Eco-Schools Programme, an Eco-Schools Forum has been established.  All teachers from Swindon Schools are invited to attend to learn more about sustainability in school.  The next meeting is to be held on 25th September 5-7pm.

For further details about Eco-Schools please contact Gill Chandler, Telephone (01793) 463180.

There are many benefits to becoming an Eco-School and two definite advantages are that it fits in well with the National Curriculum and it counts towards OFSTED! More information on Eco-Schools can be found on their website at www.eco-schools.org.uk