Eco
Intent
BWPS is committed to minimising its environmental impact and to its improvement of the local and global environment in whatever way it can. It raises awareness throughout the school to encourage and engage both staff, pupils and parents to learn more about waste prevention and recycling, as well as open up a range of opportunities for the pupils to learn and demonstrate their knowledge.
Our aim is to empower children to work towards a more sustainable lifestyle and to help mould them into responsible global citizens. This is achieved by encouraging this lifestyle into everyday family life.
What young people learn today will influence how future generations live. As a distinction awarded Eco School with a Green Flag, our intent is to be part of a growing global movement that seeks to nurture knowledge, creativity, kindness, wisdom and many more skills that will allow our children to develop and flourish, as well as helping to provide a better environmental future.
As a school, we believe we play a vital role in developing awareness and passion for the importance of our environment. Children are educated in the global challenges that are impacting on the way we organise and live our lives.
It is crucial to educate our children to become independent in the knowledge of recycling, reducing waste and being responsible citizens.
Implementation
Global learning is increasingly embedded across a variety of subjects. This involves both a formal and informal curriculum, including areas such as Citizenship, Geography, Science, Forest School, the outdoor classroom and the Eco committee.
Assemblies and our ‘whole school ethos’ are other ways we encourage and develop the skills to help understand what is going on in the world around us. Children are taught how events can change and impact our environment and global issues.
All staff and children are involved in a team effort to recycle paper/card. Recycling boxes are accessible in all rooms. Rules of what can be recycled are advised throughout the school.
Where possible, the school endeavours to participate in local and national schemes that support our environmental policy. Examples of these are Medway’s Walk to School, Green Blue Peter Badge, community litter picks, environment improvement, recycling plastic to create a Remembrance wreath for the Kitchener Barracks and linking with the Climate Response Team at Medway and Holdfast Ltd.
The school follows our Eco Code that was created by the pupils and Eco Committee. It includes several intents that all children aim for.
Assemblies are delivered to the children educating them on the detrimental impact plastic is having on the planet and what needs to be done to help prevent further damage and destruction. This in turn helps the children to educate their families and friends.
We have an established Eco-Committee with representation from each class. The committee carry out annual environmental reviews, which allows us to create our action plan. Children will have the opportunity to work with the Eco committee at school, so all children will have access to the activities.
The school promotes the use of re-useable bottles and any recyclable containers are taken back home and recycled. This encourages less waste at school and helps children to see how simple lifestyle changes can be made and even become a healthy habit. Children are also encouraged to have healthy snacks that are not wrapped in single use plastic.
The school has a clothing recycling bank and holds clothing swap shops, including fancy dress and special occasions.
The school outdoor learning areas are used for a variety of lessons covering the curriculum with a large area dedicated to the growing of fruit and vegetables that all pupils are involved in.
As part of being a healthy school, we encourage families to walk or bike to/from school where possible.
Compost areas: Through this, children are made more aware of the benefits and positive impacts from their lifestyle and habits.
Impact
All BWPS children will be highly aware of the impact of environmental changes and what they can do to help their future. They will know how to be responsible for waste and recycling and take personal ownership of these ideas.
The children act as models of best practice within their local communities to help others reap similar benefits – whole community awareness.
Pupils are aware of the importance in continued self-improvement when it comes to improving habits and lifestyle choices which impact on their local and global environment.
As school leavers, pupils know how to continue with the good attitudes, practices and habits they have formed whilst at BWPS. They know where to look for advice, ideas and news of current issues, thus contributing further to them being responsible citizens.
