Carlton VC Lower School - Carlton Carbon Community

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?

We registered onto the Eco School initiative in March 2007 with the aim of setting up an Eco Council who would strive to educate the school pupils and community on eco-related issues. As well as this we wanted all pupils to be as involved as possible in the decision-making and action. We had an holistic view of how we wanted to approach the 9 areas( we were already a Healthy School ) so we put together an Action Plan.

We surveyed the pupils, staff and parents on a range of issues and encouraged parents to get involved in the actual planning and building stages. Our aim was to utilise our fabulous grounds to benefit our school community and wildlife, while making significant inroads on several other fronts, such as reducing waste, reducing car emissions and energy usage.

ACTION

How was the project delivered and was it integrated into the curriculum?

Initially we wanted Energy and the reduction of our Community Carbon footprint to be our main project. Unable to secure funding, we shelved our ideas temporarily and brought forward our large project which would develop our grounds and outdoor space.

The Eco Council put up a display for the wider community to see and to encourage pupils to be active in eco issues. Local businesses were approached for expertise and funding and a number of exciting initiatives were undertaken. We purchased our chickens and eglu in November 2008 and now enjoy organic free range eggs. Our ‘Girls’are cared for by our wonderful pupils, parents and staff.

We have built up a fantastic relationship with Harrold Odell Country Park Ranger who is a regular visitor into school. He has taken assemblies, helped to supply and plant approximately 450 trees and hedging plants, constructed a living willow sculpture, mini-beast motels and much more. The whole school took part in The Great Plant Hunt which is now part of the science curriculum along with a Water Aid project to educate pupils on the effects of water shortage around the world and the need to conserve it. We have a 2 year rolling curriculum which ensures we regularly cover the 9 Eco areas (8 Doorways to Sustainability) over a 2 year period.

We have put together a travel plan to reduce the amount of school traffic and encourage pupils to walk or bike to school. We record and track our energy usage on a monthly basis and the Eco Council monitor lights taps and litter. The school recently organised a Big Tidy Up event to collect litter and tidy up the grounds. The Eco Council has made some useful links with other Schools. As far as possible the Eco Council make the decisions and involve the whole school.

The Staff are committed to ensuring environmental aspects to topics are included in their planning with certain topics being taught as a separate topic. We grow our own fruit and vegetables in class gardens and have a greenhouse and gardening club. The school is a member of the RHS and all children grow seeds and look after their class gardens.

CHALLENGES

Did you have to overcome any challenges to make the project succeed?

The biggest challenge is fitting environmental education into an already over-crowded curriculum but we see it as a vital part of children’s education and strive to include it into assemblies and topic work. Putting together bids for funding is time consuming and requires a certain level of expertise and commitment. Finance is the main factor which holds back real energy-saving measures.

PUPIL LEADERSHIP

How did you get the children involved? How did they have ownership?

We see pupil involvement as a key factor in environmental change. The pupils elect their own Eco Council which in turn, elects a chairperson and secretary. They run their own meetings, with adult guidance, keeping the minutes themselves.

There is also an elected School Council who initiate ideas and liaise with the Eco Council. We try to give them as many opportunities as possible to organise events such as Bring and Buy sales and to take assemblies. They run the Bin of the Week Award and other competitions to encourage all the children to get involved.

RESULT

How have the children benefitted from the project and any other benefits for the school (reduced costs, cleaner school etc)?  Please include any figures and analysis if appropriate.

The school is now virtually litter free. Last year we saved 1000Kwatts of electricity which was a reduction of one third of the previous year’s energy usage. We used 50 reams less of paper, a reduction of 30%. This has saved the school money and been a reward for all the hard work. The pupils enjoy more outdoor lessons and are learning about the natural world and how to care for it.

They are also more up to date on world events and take an interest in what is happening in the news. They are more active citizens and those involved in the Eco Council have become more confident with greater self-esteem. Formerly shy pupils now take assemblies and enjoy doing so.

RESOURCES

Did you use any educational resources such as The Pod (If yes, indicate which activities), receive any support from parents, staff and outside agencies?  Did you have to source funding for the project?

The Pod is a fun website for the pupils to use at home as well as in school. All children have calculated their carbon footprint and pledged to reduce the energy they use by changing one thing. Espresso is a fantastic resource as well as the BBC schools site.

Other schools websites are also useful for environmental education. The Woodlands Trust, Learning Through Landscapes and Kew Gardens/Wellcome Trust Great Plant Hunt are all very useful resources. Harrold Odell Country Park Ranger has been a fantastic resource and friend of our school. We have had support from the local village shop and funding from a local business in the setting up of the chickens.

LESSONS LEARNED

What advice would you give to schools that want to follow in your footsteps?

Draw up a clear plan of what your end goal is. Don’t try to move forward on too many areas. Utilise the expertise and help that can be provided by parents and local organisations. Once you start asking for specific help you will be amazed at what the parents can do. Keep people informed of what is going on and how your project is progressing. Give the pupils as much of a voice as you can.

NEXT STEPS

Has this project driven other Eco-Schools ideas and what is the school working on next?

We have supported another lower school with their chicken project supplying information and advice. We have also linked up with a primary school in Bedfordshire who has just set up an Eco Council and hope to share ideas with them. Our task is to explore alternative energy options for our school, initially to heat our swimming pool.

Carlton VC Lower School, Carlton, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK43 7LP

Posted: 18th may 2010

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