Slingsby School cares deeply about environmental issues and we have a strong desire to actively protect our planet. However, environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity-loss, or plastic pollution are huge global issues and the thought of tackling them can be intimidating, leaving many feeling overwhelmed and wondering ‘Where do I begin?’
The Eco-Schools programme we have registered to provides a simple, seven-step framework that answers this question whilst empowering the children to make a difference in school, local community and beyond. We connect our to three or more of the Ten Eco-Schools Topics. These topics break large, global issues like climate change into more manageable and directed themes that prompt children to consider environmental changes that they can make in Slingsby School and everyday lives.
Eco-Schools Seven Steps
Step 1: Eco-Committee
We have an Eco-Committee of children and a school governor who is our Eco-Coordinator and they lead the Eco-Schools programme in Slingsby School. The Eco-Committee meet regularly throughout the academic year, plan and deliver environmental projects, and inspire their peers and wider school community. Our Eco-Committee members are from a variety of year groups and members may be volunteers, democratically elected, or chosen by teaching staff.
Step 2: Environmental Review
Our Eco-Committee completes an Environmental Review of the Slingsby School. It is a great way to identify environmental initiatives already taking place in our school, areas for improvement, and opportunities for quick eco-wins.
Step 3: Action Plan
Inspired by our Environmental Review, our Eco-Committee plans and delivers projects and actions for up to three of our Eco-Schools topics across the academic year. Our Eco-Coordinator and Eco-Committee choose the issues they want to tackle and the actions to deliver.
Step 4: Curriculum Links
Alongside taking action, it is important to understand why action is needed, so we link climate change to at least three areas of curriculum learning during the year.
Step 5: Informing and Involving
Our Eco-Committees communcates our Eco-Schools’ work by sharing what they do through the weekly school newsletters, Slingsby Village Triangle and hold environmentally-themed pupil-planned assemblies. The Eco-Committee carefully considers how their projects in their Action Plan can be extended to involve their peers, school staff, and school families to maximise the impacts of their work.
Step 6: Monitoring and Evaluation
It is important for an Eco-Committee to understand the positive impacts they have created by monitoring and evaluating the projects in their Action Plan. This provides a platform to build on and will help inspire others to get involved in the future.
Step 7: Eco-Code
The final task for an Eco-Committee is creating an Eco-Code. This takes all their learning and inspiration and channels it into a mission statement that acts as a call to action for all.
Eco-Schools Green Flag
Since 1994, millions of young people around the world have worked through the Eco-Schools Seven Steps before being recognised for their efforts with a prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag.
After working through the seven Eco-Schools steps during the academic year, Singsby Schools will apply for an Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation in the Summer Term.
Applying for Eco-Schools accreditation is a great way to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the ecological achievements of the children at Singsby School. It clearly demonstrates that their hard work is appreciated, and it provides them with the confidence and motivation needed to continue actively engaging with environmental issues throughout their lifetimes. It also tells local communities that Slingsby School is forward-thinking and promotes youth-led environmental education and action.