Amberley Primary School
Eco Schools / Sustainability Teaching and Learning Profile

Curriculum Intent
At Amberley Primary School, we encourage all children to develop an awareness of environmental topics in the classroom that can impact our world. We provide children with an opportunity to take leadership of environmental issues in our school and local community. As detailed in our curriculum intent, the incorporation of sustainability and Eco School allows pupils to embrace all three of our core values: nurturing, innovation and aspiration. The Eco Schools programme allows schools to embark on a path towards improving both the environment in both school and the local community while at the same time having a positive impact on the lives of pupils, their families and school staff. 

Curriculum Implementation
As a way to ensure that sustainability is incorporated throughout the curriculum, we set a goal to achieve and sustain the 'Green Flag' award. To achieve Green Flag success, it is essential for our pupils and Eco Coordinator to complete the Eco School seven steps framework. The Eco Schools seven steps is a series of measures to help schools maximise the success of their Eco Schools ambitions. To become a successful Eco School, the first step is to elect an effective Eco Committee. The active involvement of staff and pupils is vital in the programme. At Amberley we elect two representatives from Years 1 - 6 and the KS2 committee members then complete an 'Eco Warrior' application form that is returned to our School Eco Coordinator. 

The Eco Warriors meet at least every half term to discuss current issues around the 10 elements of the Eco School and how they are addressed in school. The 10 elements that our school is addressing are: 

• Energy 
• Water
• Waste
• Litter 
• Global Perspectives
• Healthy Living
• School Grounds
• Biodiversity
• Transport
• Marine

We encourage our pupils to take active leadership in changes that they want to make in our school. We complete an environmental review to assess and evaluate our schools sustainability. Our environmental review allows our pupils to generate an idea of what our school needs to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.  After completing our environmental review, our Eco Warriors create an action plan which is used to identify priority elements that need to be developed within our school. We use this action plan to generate 5 targets that can be tackled throughout the school year. To ensure that sustainability is truly integrated into our curriculum, it is imperative that environmental issues are taught throughout our History, Geography and Science lessons.

Curriculum Impact
 

In June 2019, we had a ‘Green Flag’ assessor who assessed our school to see if Amberley could achieve and maintain our Green Flag Award. We took our visitor on a tour of the school and the school grounds. Our Eco Coordinator and Eco Warriors discussed each element of the Green Flag Award and what our school does to target each element. The assessor commented on  how friendly, caring and enthusiastic the children were about sustainability. The assessor contacted school two weeks after our visit to tell us that we had achieved our Green Flag Award. 

In June 2021, our Green Flag Award was up for renewal. Due to COVID restrictions, we had to provide evidence electronically to show what we were doing in school to achieve Eco Flag success. Year 2 were our Eco Warriors for this academic year and took on the responsibility to meet our Eco targets and completing tasks at home and in school. 

We are currently working towards our 2022-2023 green flag award - wish us luck! 

Amberley Eco Warriors 

A great big thank you to all the Eco Warrior applications that we received this year. It's great to know that our children have high values and care about the environment around us. The children have risen to the challenge of representing Amberley Primary as the face of our valued eco-code. 

Invention Shed Fun 

Invention Sheds are designed to integrate a creative approach across the curriculum. Mrs Hurst is our specialist 'sheducator' and works with a variety of different children in our Intervention Shed.

The Shed 

Our Amberley Invention Shed is kitted out with:
• Workbench handmade with recycled wood
• Display units handmade with recycled wood
• Communication Wall with whiteboard and message box
• The best of our reclaimed materials,
• A full tool kit and training on how to use it
• A home-school recycling kit
• A bin, doormat and dustpan & brush

Invention Sheds provides a purpose-built facility for schools and we are lucky to house our very own invention shed at Amberley Primary. 

We use the shed as much as possible here at Amberley: at lunchtimes; for after school clubs; to work with small group interventions and we even squeeze a session in at break times. 

It's great to see children up and down the school show enthusiasm for working in the shed and creating their very own inventions. 

As well as being used for small groups, whole classes have utilised the shed for their own class learning, whether it has been English through to Art and Design, the shed is always being used. 

Eco At Amberley 

At Amberley, our Eco Warriors complete an environmental review to assess what topics we may need to work on as a school. We encourage our Eco Warriors to take pride in their role and encourage our Eco Warriors to build on leadership skills by taking part in different Eco activities and events throughout the year. 

In the past, we have taken part in a variety of different activities and events. Some of the activities / events we have taken part in are:

• The Great British Spring Clean 
• National Clean Air Day 
• Electric Monitors 
• Earth Day
• RSPB's Bird Watch 
• Outdoor Classroom Day 

.. and many more! 

Here are some pictures of our litter picks that we have took part in. We love litter picks and enjoy keeping our school tidy. 

Reception have enjoyed taking part in a litter pick in the Spring Term.

We took part in a competition arranged by the North Tyneside Learning Trust Climate Strategy. We could create any type of document to encourage people to save energy. 

Please find our entries below. 

Well done to our winners! 

Sustainability at Amberley Primary School

Below is a powerpoint attached which gives an insight into how all ten topics are incorporated and covered in our school.