Pupils at High Crags Primary Leadership Academy have earned an international accreditation that recognises their amazing work in making their school more environmentally friendly and raising eco-awareness in fellow pupils.
After forming an Eco-Committee in April 2020, over the past four terms, pupils at the school have undertaken a variety of projects to earn Green Flag status by Eco-schools, an international education programme that prompts young people to explore sustainability and climate change and take action.
We are grateful to Shipley Area Committee for their donation of £500 to the development of our Pergola.
The Eco-Committee with their Eco-Schools Green Flag
Perhaps the biggest project at the school has been the creation of a peace garden in the grounds of the school. The committee converted an old and overrun area of the school field into a garden complete with a pagoda, a water fountain, a butterfly garden and flowering and vegetable beds.
Staff gave up their weekends to clear out weeds and dig up the turf to create the garden, with pupils then helping to plant and cultivate flowers in the area following this hard work.
Not only have the gardening club been growing vegetables and fruit in the new garden, they have been creating and growing flower beds all around the school to create a more vibrant and eco-friendly environment.
Pupils have been actively litter-picking on the school grounds
This has been supported by the creation of a wildlife area at the end of the school field, where members of the school community have planted a total of 54 trees around some uncut grass to support local eco-systems.
Pupils have also been discovering more sustainable ways to get to and from school. To support their Walk to School initiative, school leaders have introduced a new bike rack to encourage more pupils to travel by bicycle or scooter, reducing their carbon footprint and increasing their daily exercise. Cycling and scooter proficiency courses have also been organised to encourage children to be more active.
The eco-committee has also taken part in numerous litter picks in the local community which have been well received by the local residents. They also use the litter picking equipment in school to make sure the school grounds are tidy which helps develop a culture of anti-littering in pupils.
Ben Taylor, Eco-coordinator at High Crags Leadership Academy, said:
“We are very proud to be awarded this prestigious accreditation, a lot of hard work has gone into these projects, but they wouldn’t be possible without the enthusiasm of our pupils to create a more eco-friendly school environment.
“Along with giving them a greater appreciation of action that can be taken to look after our planet, I think our pupils have really relished being part of the eco-committee, as it gives them a chance to be outdoors and develop new friendships.
“Hopefully, with the understanding they are gaining, they will continue to have a more sustainable outlook throughout their lives.”