Eco School

Intent

 At Offmore Primary School, we want to encourage our children to make green choices. We also want our staff, parents and wider community to join us on our journey and become more aware of environmental issues. We are mindful that we live in a disposable society and we need to teach our children about the long lasting and devastating effect that humans are having on our planet and how their choices, can make an impact to improve this.

As a school, we are working alongside the Eco-Schools programme which is pupil-led, involving hands-on learning that gets the whole school and the wider community involved in exciting environmental projects. Pupils of all ages and abilities are encouraged to work together to develop their knowledge and environmental awareness. We use a cross curricular approach to educate our students across a wide range of issues from the biodiversity of life in their school and neighbourhood to their use of energy and water, both at school and at home, and how to deal with litter and waste. We would also like to see them become true global citizens where their personal impact can be felt on a much wider stage across the planet.

Implementation

 Environmental topics are taught throughout school from Nursery up to Year 6. These topics are addressed in a cross-curricular manner through subjects such as Science and Topic where meaningful links can be made. Alongside this curricular approach, our school engages in a wider approach to teach our children about environmental matters from working in our allotment planting flowers and vegetables and picking up rubbish during break times.

Furthermore engaging with the wider community for projects such as Walk to School Week and Bikability for a less polluted local environment. We are excited to be taking part in the annual Green Flag Award that allows children to take part in a series of audits across school in the following areas: Healthy Living, Litter, Waste, Global Citizenship, Water and Marine Life, School Grounds, Transport, Biodiversity and Energy.

Children will be asked to audit the school in each of these areas and then an action plan will be formulated for our three areas in need of improvement. By working towards a series of goals and targets and by involving the wider school through assemblies and peer to peer education, children have an opportunity to be part of a wider, sweeping change across school.

Impact

Our hopes for our children are that they will develop an improved knowledge of how to use energy and water sustainably, they come to understand the importance of looking after our planet. They come to understand how to care for their local neighbourhood in terms of waste disposal and recycling but also how to keep their own personal environment tidy and free from waste and litter. Their responsibility in changing the world for the better is something they come to be aware of and they begin their development into global citizens with a wider appreciation of not just their local area but also the wider world.