The Eco Schools Scheme has, for this academic year 2009/2010, decided to aim for the Green Flag Award: the Green Flag substantiates all the work done by Eco Schools into a nationally-recognised award; in order to attain it we must:
- Identify an Action Team which has met on at least six occasions. The Action Team has the support of a parent and/or governor. Pupils take significant responsibility for the running of the Action Team.
- Complete a formal Environmental Review, record the results and undertake a follow-up review.
- Produce a detailed Action Plan, including timescales and targets, share the plan with the school community and update it based upon the follow-up review.
- Identify progress towards achieving most targets in the Action Plan.
- Obtain physical evidence of their progress, including data collection and analysis (graphs, etc).
- Identify substantial progress towards one large-scale project and indicate involvement with two others. ‘Identify substantial progress’ means that we must have an understanding of the project topic, recognise its importance to sustainable development within the school environment and wider community and have implemented change.
- Have a prominent, designated noticeboard, web pages or newsletter which details Eco-Schools activities. Eco-Schools activities need be reported in assemblies and at governors’ meetings, as well as being regularly communicated to parents and the wider community.
- Agree, adopt, and display an Eco-Code.
- Share good practice with other schools who wish to join the Eco-Schools programme.
- Be able to indicate that environmental issues have been covered in at least three curriculum areas by most year groups.
- Be mainly litter-free. Assessors visiting a school will pass schools that achieve a Grade B or above for litter.
Clearly, there is much to do in this academic year; hopefully our Committee and Reps are all up to the job!
In the academic year 2008/2009, we split ourselves into four groups with four focuses: one group to oversee environmental issues regarding the then-ongoing building of the new Sixth Form Centre and Dining Hall; a group working on transport and travel with the Girls High School; a group working on waste; and a group working on electricity and water. Throughout the year, we made substantial progress in all these directions and came away feeling that we had all made a great difference to the school environment!
Thanks must be recorded to the 08/09 Secretary, Josh Hayes; to the committed 2009 Sixth Form Leavers, who made a significant contribution both to our discussions and to the running and organisation of the four groups; and to Mrs Poole & Mr Martin, who provided such invaluable assistance on the staff side of Eco Schools.
Thanks must finally go out to all students, past and present, who have given so much time & been so dedicated to the Eco Schools Scheme and helped make it such a success!
