This academic year, pupils at Castle Hill received international accreditation for their exceptional work in promoting sustainability and raising environmental awareness amongst their peers.

The Eco-Schools programme, established in 1994, is now implemented in over 70 countries worldwide. In 2023-24, more than 1.4 million pupils attended an Eco-School in England.

Our pupils used Eco-Schools’ tried-and-trusted seven-step framework to create positive change. Initially, a pupil-led Eco-Committee was established. This committee took responsibility for spearheading their school’s environmental initiatives, with support from Mrs Brown. They first conducted a thorough review of their school environment and curriculum, before developing a year-long plan of action.

Their Action Plan focused on 3 key issues:

  • Developing the school grounds,
  • Promoting biodiversity
  • Reducing litter

Here is a snippet of the feedback we received with the award from Eco Schools:

‘ The ambitious Action Plan projects decided on by your Eco-Champions will make an immediate difference to your local environment, whilst promoting positive, long-term behaviour change in your school community. Organising a whole-school eco-day and eco-art week is brilliant practice, it makes environmental education inclusive, fun, celebratory and emphasises a collective responsibility towards our planet. We particularly enjoyed seeing the pupil’s work that was uploaded (you have some very talented young people in your school)! Your Eco-Champions have placed a lot of emphasis on informing as many members of your school community as possible about their Eco-Schools work, including through (Eco Newsletter, School newsletter, and Assembly. Your school has collaborated with various organizations to enhance biodiversity and develop the school's outdoor spaces. Working with Hampshire and IOW Trust, you created a wildlife report for your sensory garden and hosted workshops with Craig Whitelock.

Additionally, partnerships with The Prince's Trust Foundation, Chevron, and Greener Spaces helped transform your school grounds, sensory garden, and outdoor KS1 area, creating a trail and installing benches, planters, and bug hotels. Your Eco-Schools noticeboard looks fantastic, with many photos to give recognition to your Eco-Champions! The greatest success of your Eco-Schools’ journey was developing the school grounds and we agree that this is something to be very proud of. Your school has successfully developed a sensory garden, transforming an unused space with the help of volunteers, adding a trail, laying down protective membrane, bark, and planting hedgerow plants donated by the Woodland Trust to create a natural screening. Your main challenge is one that anyone who works in an education setting is familiar with, lack of time! However, rather than giving up, you consistently strive to make a positive impact and that’s truly inspiring.

You have demonstrated creativity in creating a clever and unique Eco-Code! We love the acrostic poem used to spell out the name of your school! We hope it provides much encouragement to next year’s Eco-Champions! We’d love to see the Eco-Code displayed in more spaces to encourage more awareness and visibility of your Eco-Champions. Your team has been astounded by your amazing application. Our only concern is that we might not have been able to express in words just how impressed and grateful we are to have educators who go so far above and beyond to engage young people in environmental action. Congratulations on your Eco-Schools Green Flag!’

Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said: ‘The Eco-Schools’ Green Flag is an international benchmark that demonstrates a commitment to fighting climate change and high standard of sustainable practice. Students and staff who earn this award deserve recognition for their dedication toward protecting our planet. Every day, they demonstrate that each of us can contribute to making our planet a better, more sustainable, place.’

We look forward to continuing our journey to make our school an eco friendly school this academic year.

To learn more about Eco-Schools head to www.eco-schools.org.uk