Aurora Hedgeway School earns prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, inspiring students to lead environmental change

Three themes were selected from the ten on offer and they chose waste, water and energy.

They did lots of work for the award, including:

• integrating a water butt system for rainwater at forest school to water plants
• creating posters for conserving energy and turning taps off to save water
• adding leak pads to see if toilets were leaking so they could be fixed
• adding a flow reducer on the shower
• recycling more and weighing waste - students created data charts to monitor progress
• litter picks in and around the community and school
• recycling a bathtub to plant vegetables
• building ecosystem dioramas
• displaying their Eco-Code in a wide variety of prominent positions
• filling in a species richness survey
• reusing items from skips
• students in the upper school attended the Severn Trent Water Works as an environmentally-themed trip
• taking part in Clean Air Day by looking at different types of tree lichen on trees and fences to see if the air quality was good – it was very good

They incorporated Modeshift STARS into Clean Air Day too by reducing the emissions around school with car free car park days, putting up no idling signs, making use of staff and student car shares and creating a travel plan with sustainable transport initiatives.

“We should have automatic taps to prevent water waste around school. That way, when people struggle or forget to turn off a tap, it won’t matter because it will do it automatically.” Torren, Aurora Hedgeway School pupil.

Benefits

The project has raised awareness with students and staff of global warming and what we can do to make a difference.

Interest in the environment has grown since last year when only a few students turned up to learn about it, but this year they’ve all returned and brought their friends with them.

The students have really got behind the idea and are really excited about attending a community litter pick at Weston-super-mare that’s coming up later in the month.

Staff have integrated and embedded the Eco-School topics into most lessons and the impact has been whole school and very positive.

The school were told by The Eco-Schools Team: “It is evident that young people in your school are aware of environmental issues and passionate about protecting our planet - your Eco-Committee, with 19 members in total, clearly demonstrates this.

“We loved the collaborative approach your Eco-Committee demonstrated when completing their Environmental Review. This cooperative mindset is exactly what is needed to address the challenges. Data from completing the Environmental Review helped your Eco-Committee create an impactful Action Plan for your school. Your Action Plan involves as many people as possible, maximising the impacts of your Eco-Schools activities.

You have skilfully integrated environmental issues into your curriculum, enriching pupils’ learning in the process.

“You have skilfully integrated environmental issues into your curriculum, enriching pupils’ learning in the process. We especially enjoyed seeing the fantastic examples of pupils engaged in learning. These examples illustrate how learning in an environmental context can lead to fantastic outcomes. “

Cheryll Hall - Outdoor Learning Coordinator and Eco-School's Coordinator at Aurora Hedgeway School said: “One of the greatest things about Eco-Schools is the ideas and creativity it sparks in the children, getting them thinking about their environmental impacts on a daily basis and wanting to protect the beautiful world they live in. It’s been fantastic celebrating the achievement of Eco-Schools Green Flag Award with Merit with the students and they’ve taken great pride in their involvement. I’m really looking forward to achieving the Green Flag Award with Distinction this academic year and can’t wait to see what wonderful things we can accomplish together!” 

One of the greatest things about Eco-Schools is the ideas and creativity it sparks in the children. 

Next steps

As mentioned by Cheryll, the school will now be going for the next level up - Green Flag Award with Distinction - which they then hope to retain annually.

 

Aurora Hedgeway School in Pilning, Bristil provides a flexible, inclusive education and a positive, vibrant learning community, for children and young people aged 7-19 with a primary or secondary diagnosis of Autism and related social and communication needs.