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Woodmansterne Primary

Sustainability at Woodmansterne

 At Woodmansterne, we believe in nurturing young minds not only academically but also in instilling a deep sense of responsibility towards our planet. We are committed to creating a more sustainable future for our children and our community. We believe that by working together, alongside the wider work of the trust, we can make a real difference in reducing our environmental impact. Through our curriculum, assemblies and visitors into school, we aim to raise further awareness of the effects of climate change and the need to protect our environment.  

Ensuring a school wide focus on sustainability as part of the wider trust work towards carbon zero is part of our school development plan for 2023-2024.

Click here to read our School Development Plan for 2023-2024.
Click here to read our Autumn Sustainability Newsletter.

 Our Sustainability Initiatives & Events

 As we embark on this eco-conscious journey, we are proud to share the various initiatives and efforts we've undertaken to become a more sustainable primary school.  

Our Pupil Parliament meets every half term with a focus on sustainability at the centre of their work with their aim being to reduce our school's carbon footprint by encouraging our school community to make sustainable choices in their daily lives. Some of the ways we are working towards this goal include: 

Energy Conservation

We are constantly looking for ways to reduce our energy usage, including energy-efficient lighting which we have had installed in our school buildings and by encouraging pupils and staff to turn off lights and electronics such as interactive whiteboards when not in use.

Recycling and Waste Reduction

We have implemented ‘Plastic-Free Fridays’ which are designed to promote the reduction in the amount of single-use plastic used in packed lunches. We have a team of litter-pickers who monitor the school grounds at lunchtime, ensuring that no litter is left behind. This year, we have also invested in refillable glue sticks in order to cut down on the plastic waste produced as a school as well as moving to recyclable milk cartons as part of our Cool Milk scheme. Moving forward we plan to compost our food waste onsite which will be used to fill our vegetable planters and allotments around the school grounds.

Sustainable Transportation

We encourage pupils and staff to use sustainable transportation options such as cycling, scooting, and walking to school to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Across the school we provide training through ‘Bike Ability’ which equips our children with the skills and confidence to walk and cycle safely to school. We make time in the school day to encourage healthy living without damage to the environment through our ‘Active Mile’ sessions, additional sports provision and clubs run at lunchtimes and after school as well as our annual Sports Week.

Green Spaces

Within our 5.5 acres of grounds, we have dedicated areas of our school grounds which encourage our pupils to engage with nature. These include our wildflower meadow, to promote biodiversity, our allotments for planting fruit and vegetables - tended by our gardening club which aims to provide the food for our chickens and guinea pigs, and the outdoor classroom itself which provides pupils with the opportunity to learn about nature on a weekly basis as part of the curriculum.

Events

As a school we participate in and promote a range of events throughout the year to raise awareness of sustainability and climate change. These include events such as: National recycling week, Cut Your Carbon month, Sustainability Week, The Big Schools Bird Watch and 30 Days Wild. 

 Sustainability Across the Curriculum

 

Sustainability is included in the National Curriculum as a cross-curricular theme. This means that the concept of sustainability is integrated into various subjects, such as science, geography, and design and technology, rather than being taught as a standalone subject. For example, in science, pupils learn about the importance of renewable energy and the effects of pollution on the environment. In geography, they learn about the impact of human activity on the natural world and the importance of preserving natural resources. In design and technology, they learn about sustainable design and the use of recycled materials. Overall, the goal is to educate pupils about the importance of sustainability and how they can play a role in protecting the environment for future generations.