PROJECT
Why did you decide to undertake this project (i.e. Particular issue in school or part of a larger campaign) and what aims did you have starting out ?
As a Technology school we are aware of our carbon footprint and are committed to reducing any adverse impact our school has on the environment. We recognise the importance of conducting our day-to-day lives in an ecologically sound way, and of educating our students about how to live sustainably.
When we first started to look at the nine Eco-Schools gateways, we realised that we already fulfilled several of the criteria, and this spurred us on the do even more. We chose to work on all the gateways at one time rather than selecting one or two each year. We soon achieved Bronze status, then came our Silver certificate, and the next year we achieved the standard for a Green Flag.
ACTION
How was the project delivered and was it integrated into the curriculum?
We are a large school, with over 200 staff, and many of these are already concerned about environmental issues, and see that they need to be included in the curriculum. This existing interest in sustainability has helped enormously in the introduction of Eco-Schools projects.
Geography, Business Studies, Food Tech, Land Based Studies and PSHE all have a history of studying sustainable living, but these themes are also integrated into many other subjects - Graphics students investigate Fair Trade, Year 10 IT students produce a website about the benefits of recycling, Year 12 Science students investigate alternative energy, and Art students study artists using recycled materials.
Our Land Based Studies students are particularly interested in ‘green’ issues, and help with the School Grounds and ‘Biodiversity’ projects. They have worked with the White Cliffs Countryside Project staff and planted trees from the Kent Free Tree Scheme.
We have installed a 5kW wind turbine with grants from Eon, our local council and the Low Carbon Buildings Trust and are in discussions re: the installation of solar panels to further decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. This is used in lessons by geography and science.
We record our water usage, use rainwater in the gardens and have installed waterless urinals and Water Saver cisterns in all our toilets. Our Eco-Domes, and allotment are watered with rainwater, and we have plants to install another butt in the Peace Garden.
Students are able to join out-of-school clubs which work in our Eco-Domes, Peace Garden, wetland area or on our allotment. Jobs include planning and planting, weeding and taking the produce to the school kitchen to be used at lunchtimes.
We are proud to have achieved Healthy Schools status as well as International School status. We are also recognised as a Training School, which helps us to forge and maintain links with other schools.
CHALLENGES
Did you have to overcome any challenges to make the project succeed?
Waste management has been a concern in the past, as we are a large school with an innovative curriculum. We currently recycle all our cardboard and have installed a paper recycling bin at the front of the school, which we share with the local community. Our weekly (electronic!) newsletter helps us to swap items between departments; for example, jam jars go to the Art department, boxes to Animation and plastic bottles to Science.
We have tried aluminium and plastic recycling, and found that it is unworkable, due to the amount of time and man-power it would take to administer the system at its outset. Students are not naturally willing to separate waste into different bins, so we have had cancelled the initiative until staffing levels can be improved.
We have also found litter a challenging problem and it is this area of the Eco-Schools registration that we will be working on in the coming year. Our 2009 annual review by the students identified litter around the school as a problem and they are currently working on creative solutions, such as a ‘splot poster’ for chewing gum.
PUPIL LEADERSHIP
How did you get the children involved? How did they have ownership?
Application for Eco-Schools certification occurred after we had been working on green issues for a number of years. We already had a Green Team of students in the school operating under the guidance of our Director of Key Stage 3, which was the ideal group of students to become out Eco-Schools Council. We have a KCC Community Youth Tutor working with the school, and she took over the council in 2007 along with our OLC Manager.
Students from each form are encouraged to come along to meetings, along with interested staff members and a member of the school governors.
Minutes are taken by the students and displayed on the Eco-Schools noticeboard. Regular updates are reported back to the general School Council, detailed in the monthly parent newsletter and displayed on our six plasma screens around the school. Particular projects are reported by the student journalists who write for the e-news newsletter.
RESULT
How have the children benefitted from the project and any other benefits for the school (reduced costs, cleaner school etc)?
We feel that our sustainable living ethos has been hugely successful, and we have been awarded a Display Energy Certificate rating of C (53), which is about half the national average rating. Our Green Team is keen to support and instigate proposals, and other schools come to us to see how we work.
Our wind turbine has reduced our energy costs, and the waterless urinals have reduced our use of water.
RESOURCES
Did you use any educational resources, receive any support from parents, staff and outside agencies? Did you have to source funding for the project?
We received support from many of the staff employed at the school, and from outside agencies. There is pressure on many companies to provide funding to community groups, and we were able to tap into this, for example by applying for a grant from B&Q.
We have had invaluable help, support and advice from many other bodies, such as BCTV, and joining in activities such as raising money for the Kent Wildlife Trust and partaking in the RSPB annual birdwatch all help raise awareness of environmental issues.
Many organisations were willing to help when we were seeking funding for our renewable energy sources, such as e.on who helped with our application to the Low Carbons Building Trust, and the Kent Energy Trust who offered advice.
LESSONS LEARNT
What advice would you give to schools that want to follow in your footsteps?
I would advise other schools to check out the Eco-Schools website, and look on You Tube under ‘Eco-Schools’ at a short film we have made about Becoming an Eco School. The Eco-Schools nine-point plan is easy to follow, and it is not necessary to tack all the sections at once – schools can choose to work on one or two key areas at a time.
I would also suggest that schools link with as many other bodies as possible, to get ideas, advice and funding.
NEXT STEPS
Has this project driven other Eco-Schools ideas and what is the school working on next?
We are very keen to reduce our carbon footprint even further, and are seeking funding for some solar PV panels. The match funding we need has already been approved by our school governors, and we are awaiting confirmation from the funders that we can go ahead with the project.
As a designated Training School we are keen to share our challenges and triumphs, and are always happy to receive visitors. Schools are welcome to bring groups of students to see how we have risen to the Eco-Schools challenge, and work through some sustainability workshop activities we have devised.
We intend to reduce the amount of litter around the school over the coming year, and then we will be looking for the next big challenge. Roll on 2011!
Posted: 23rd March 2010
| Green Flag: | 1,179 |
| Silver: | 3,907 |
| Bronze: | 4,649 |
