INTENT

Being an environmentally friendly school at Heatherside means engaging children (their families and the local community) in a range of activities and campaigns, empowering children to drive change and to improve their environmental awareness and impact.  Furthermore, working hard to create positive changes in individual’s homes, school, the local community and the whole world will build confidence in children’s belief that their voice counts. Moreover, children should believe that they are capable of leaving a legacy for future generations. Eco actions are planned and intended to develop pupils’ skills, raise environmental awareness (pupils’ and their families), create financial savings for the school and families, and to reduce negative effects that our school community has on the environment of the whole world.

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, outdoor gardening club and the Eco committee. Assemblies (some including the children’s delivery) 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. All staff and children are involved in a team effort to reduce waste of and to recycle paper/card, plastic pens, food, batteries and glue sticks and general plastic items. The school endeavours to participate in local and national schemes which support our environmental policy such as Switch Off Fortnight and Waste Week. Our Gardening Club helps children to understand negative effects of food miles and packaging and encourages reduction of food waste and. Whole school homework activities promoting environmental issues are planned and delivered to all classes. The school promotes the use of re-useable bottles and food containers. Links with Geography, Science, Citizenship have been identified in the National Curriculum and teachers make these links explicit during lessons. Annually, our children jointly write to our local MP, asking him to petition the prime minister to support the Send My Friend to school campaign; Pupils feel a sense of worth when they receive an official reply from the government, acknowledging their concerns.

IMPACT

At Heatherside Junior School, all 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 will act as models of best practice within their local communities to help others reap similar benefits – whole community awareness. Pupils will be 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 will know how to continue with the good attitudes, practices and habits they have formed whilst at Heatherside. They will know where to look for advice, ideas and news of current issues, thus contributing further to them being responsible citizens.