Tag: Eco-Schools

Keep Scotland Beautiful awards schools for fantastic climate action

Four schools and nurseries in Edinburgh recognised with Eco-Schools Green Flag Award status

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is delighted to award four schools and nurseries in Edinburgh with an Eco-Schools Green Flag.

The international award recognises nurseries and schools which have demonstrated a commitment to the Eco-Schools Scotland programme and over two years have engaged their whole school community in local climate action.

The schools and nurseries are: Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools, Leith Primary School and Nursery Class, Nether Currie Primary School and Smilechildcare.

All the schools took part in a variety of fantastic litter-busting and climate action activities including litter picks, litter surveys, recycling and community clean ups.

Through the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, Keep Scotland Beautiful aims to make action to tackle climate change and environmental awareness an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of schools, for both pupils and for staff. The programme provides a framework to engage the wider school community in climate action aligned with the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

To complete the Green Flag journey each school has a choice of ten topics to engage with, from climate action, to food and the environment, to litter, to energy. The schools also choose one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to link their Eco-Schools work to.

Catherine Gee, Deputy Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “I’d like to congratulate the Eco-Committee, pupils and staff at each of these schools, who have stepped up to play their part in combatting climate change and achieve their Green Flag Award. 

“It’s great to hear about the progress schools have made towards their Green Flags – up and down the country, pupils and staff are working hard growing, litter picking and learning. Thousands have also engaged with our live lessons recently and the next, on Water, is coming up on 6 and 10 June.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to supporting all our children, young people and educators through our Climate Action Schools activities to develop the capacities, skills and attributes required to protect our planet and work towards our goal of a Net Zero future.”

More information about the world’s largest sustainable schools programme and Eco-Schools Scotland can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/eco-schools.

Sign up for the next live lesson and see the previous lessons here:

https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/education-and-learning/eco-schools/live-lessons/.

Five city schools recognised with Eco-Schools Green Flag Awards

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, is delighted to award five schools in Edinburgh City with an Eco-Schools Green Flag.

The international award recognises nurseries and schools which have demonstrated a commitment to the Eco-Schools Scotland programme and over two years have engaged their whole school community in local environmental action.

The five schools are: Brunstane Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2016), Liberton Nursery (which has held a Green Flag since 2011), Carrick Knowe Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2007), St John’s Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2013) and George Heriot’s Junior (a Green Flag school since 2007).

Brunstane Primary School was recognised for carrying out regular community litter picks and forming a pupil parliament group to address road safety concerns near the school. 

Children at Liberton Nursery carried out regular litter picks in the woods where they have nature play time, recorded types of litter in a survey and carried out extensive work on biodiversity. 

Pupils at St. John’s Primary School carried out an anti-litter poster campaign and whole school assembly and organised regular litter picks in a new park near the school ensuring it stays clean and welcoming. They also worked with the Woodland Trust to plant native trees around the school. 

At Carrick Knowe Primary School, pupils organised litter picks with every year group, and ran class workshops on single use plastics.

George Heriot’s pupils increased the effectiveness of the school’s recycling and explored possibilities of hosting renewable energy sources at the school.

Through the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, Keep Scotland Beautiful aims to make environmental awareness and action to tackle climate change an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of schools, for both pupils and for staff. 

The programme provides a framework to engage the wider school community in action and support aligned with the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

To complete the Green Flag journey each school has a choice of ten topics to engage with, from food and the environment, to litter, to energy. The schools also choose one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to link their Eco-Schools work to.

Barry Fisher, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Congratulations to the Eco-Committee, pupils and staff at each of these schools, who have worked so hard schools, who have worked so hard to achieve their Green Flag Award, particularly during a time of unprecedented adjustment and change to education caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. 

“This is a great achievement and testament to the resilience and creativity of both pupils and educators.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to supporting all our children and young people to develop the capacities, skills and attributes required to protect our planet for the future.”

More information about the world’s largest sustainable schools programme and Eco-Schools Scotland can be found at:  

www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/eco-schools