Eco Schools / Sustainability Teaching and Learning Profile

Our Eco Warriors work together to make our school a greener, cleaner and more sustainable place. They encourage our school to care for the environment, protect wildlife and make positive choices that help our planet.

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

Our Eco Schools work has had a positive impact across the school community. Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm and pride in improving the environment and actively contribute ideas to make the school more sustainable. Children develop leadership skills, teamwork and an increased understanding of environmental responsibility.

Amberley Primary School successfully achieved the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award and continues to build upon this success each year. We are currently working towards achieving the Green Flag Award again this year. During previous assessments, assessors commented positively on the children’s enthusiasm, confidence and commitment towards sustainability.

Our Environmental Review identified many strengths within the school, particularly in the areas of Energy, Healthy Living and Biodiversity. The school’s investment in renewable energy, outdoor learning opportunities and pupil-led initiatives has helped to develop a strong culture of environmental awareness.

Children have become increasingly involved in practical environmental action through recycling initiatives, litter picks, gardening activities and awareness campaigns. Eco Warriors continue to play an important role in leading environmental improvements and encouraging sustainable choices throughout the school community.

Through our ongoing Eco Schools work, we aim to continue developing environmentally responsible citizens who understand how they can positively contribute to protecting the planet both now and in the future.

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. 

 

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
• World Ocean Day
• RSPB’s Bird Watch 
• Outdoor Classroom Day 

.. and many more! 

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. 

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.