The Eco Schools programme is an international initiative that encourages pupils to engage with environmental and sustainable development issues.
The programme is a learning resource and topic areas include: Litter, Waste Minimisation, Transport, Healthy Living, Energy, Water, School Grounds and Global Citizenship.
Pupils take key roles in decision making and participation in order to reduce the environmental impact of their school. In this way, Eco-Schools extend learning beyond the classroom and develop responsible citizenship attitudes both at home and in the wider community.
The Eco Schools International Green Flag, awarded to schools with high achievement in their programme, is a recognised and respected eco-label for performance in Education for Sustainable Development. The Eco-Schools programme is a long-term activity, with the award being re-assessed and renewed every two years.
The Eco-Schools Programme is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, the Countryside Council for Wales and Waste Awareness Wales.
At Stanwell we aim to excel at promoting environmental awareness both within the school and the wider community. We encourage respect for the environment throughout all aspects of school life.
At Stanwell School we have called the eco committee Eco Stanwell in relation to our environmental aim and code of practise. Eco Stanwell has many ages from the Year 7 to sixth form, all of whom are committed to protecting and preserving the local and national environments.
We received our first Green flag in 2005 after months of work by Pupils and Teachers on recycling initiatives within curriculum schemes of work and extracurricular activities, becoming the first secondary school in the Vale of Glamorgan to do so. At Stanwell we are currently working towards our third ‘Green Flag Award’.
Eco Stanwell continues to implement the 3 R’s, “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” within the school and is now working with the ESDGC groups and the Healthy Schools team to reach our goals in other areas such as supporting the Fair Trade scheme, improving our school grounds, developing global links and encouraging healthy living.
We’ve been involved with many projects, here are the most notable.
The Eco Stanwell Committee wish to update pupils and parents on the progress of the new conservation area planned for an unused area within the school premises. Plans are still in the draft stages but good progress has been made and a final design will hopefully be reached by the end of November 2012. A draft copy has been included below although pupils from the committee have asked for a covered area to be included on the plans.
A draft plan of the new conservation area of the school.
In addition the pupils on the Eco-Stanwell committee applied for some funding to help with the construction of this project through an initiative run by Keep WalesTidy. As the article below shows the pupils were successful in the bid to receive funding for the wildlife project the pupils are keen to introduce to the school.
Congratulations! I am delighted to inform you that your ‘Have a Wild Weekend for Wales’ application was successful.
We received over 280 applications, all of which we have not been able to support, but the Committee has considered your application and I am pleased to inform you that you have been awarded Homebase gift cards for the value of £100.
Finally if any parents/guardians feel they would like to offer advice or support for this project please contact Mrs. J Laity (Eco Schools Coordinator and Geography teacher).
Photo of Year 7 building bird, bat and bug boxes on Cosmeston Sustainability Day 2012.
On Thursday 29th June 2012 Eco-Stanwell Committee members attended an eco meeting with like minded pupils at Fairfield Primary School. During the meeting pupils discussed some of the projects they had been involved in and shared ideas and plans for the future. The group then worked together trying to improve an outside area of the primary school. This involved moving outside furniture to a well established conservation area and the preparation of flower beds with pupils weeding, hoeing and adding top soil so that many new plants could thrive.
All pupils worked hard and showed excellent team work. As a result both committees have planned to meet up on a more regular basis in the future.
Photos of Fairfield and Stanwell pupils working together in several outside areas of Fairfield Primary School.