This year, we have once again applied for our school to be awarded an Eco-Schools Green Flag, which is an international accreditation that has recognised and rewarded young people’s environmental actions for over 25 years.

We feel that applying for an Eco-Schools Green Flag is the perfect way to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the ecological achievements of our children at Warden Hill. The process clearly demonstrates that our Eco Warrior’s hard work is appreciated and it provides them with the confidence and motivation to continue actively engaging with environmental issues now and throughout their lifetimes. At Warden Hill, we want to inspire the next generation of innovative, inspirational environmentalists, who are actively engaged in protecting our planet.

Each class has an Eco Warrior representative, elected by their peers each term after they have given a short presentation to show how they will meet the role and responsibilities of being an Eco Warrior. Eco Warriors meet every week with Mrs Catchpole and Mrs Taylor (Eco Warriors Coordinators). During the meeting, the children share ideas to help our school to work towards achieving our Eco Schools targets. At the start of the year, our Eco Warriors carried out an environmental review of our school. As a result, they decided to focus on these three areas: Litter, Energy and Waste.

Litter

This year, our KS1 Eco Warriors have created posters to encourage our community to dispose of rubbish carefully in the recycling or landfill bins. They have carried out litter picks, including in our local park, inspired by a Warden Hill pupil Ella, who recently took it upon herself to do a litter pick in her local area bringing the issue to the attention of the Eco Warriors. When the Eco Warriors arrived at the park gates, Councillor Tony Oliver who helped to coordinate the litter pick, together with Councillor Iain Dobie, Mrs Flooks and Karen Watson, who manages the UBICO waste collection contract for Cheltenham Borough Council, greeted them. We feel that litter picks are an important activity to continue to raise the awareness within our school and local community of the damage that litter is doing to our environment.

In addition, last year’s Eco Warriors supported the Warden Hill Wombles scheme, initiated by one of now ex pupils Molly, to encourage our community to get involved with picking up litter during the holidays and weekends. We would like to encourage our community once again to pick up litter and become a Warden Hill Womble!

Energy

In an effort to reduce the amount of energy we use as a school, each class have appointed an Eco Monitor, whose job it is to ensure that lights, interactive whiteboards and other electrical devices are off when not in use. Our Eco Warriors would also like to encourage families at home to reduce their energy use too, by switching off electrical devices when not in use and to consider installing a smart meter. As well as helping to save the planet, this will help save families money too!

Waste

The Eco Warriors have increased the range of items that we can recycle at Warden Hill. They would like to encourage families to recycle more and invite you to send in crisp packets and writing instruments, which can be put in our recycling bins. TerraCycle will collect and process these items and use them to make plants pots, outdoor furniture and playgrounds equipment.

The Eco Warriors have created an Eco Code, which is on display in classrooms, to encourage all children at Warden Hill to be environmentally aware and support everyone at Warden Hill to work together to achieve our targets.

We hope to hear from Eco-Schools soon, so we can fly our Eco-Schools Green Flag with pride!