Brize Norton Primary School Eco-schools

ECO-SCHOOLS GREEN FLAG 2008-2009

ECO SCHOOL GREEN FLAG ACHIEVED - JULY 2009

During the summer term 2009 we achieved our Green Flag status. This is the ultimate eco-school award. This year we have focused on targets related to transport, energy and waste. The school was assessed over half a day, during which time the assessor talked to children, toured the school and looked at a range of evidence. This is a credit to to the eco-team, a group of children who have worked hard this year to achieve the targets they set themselves. Well done!

In 2008 Brize Norton Primary School was awarded the Silver award for achieving our eco targets. This year we are all working together to achieve the Green Flag.

Our Eco Team

Class 4           William, Bella and Sophie      

Class 3           Joshua, Chloe and Alex

Class 2           Cameron, Hayley and Grace

The team meet once a week to evaluate the progress we are making towards targets in our eco-schools plan. They decide what we need to do next and how each class can be involved.

Our Eco-code

We try to save energy where we can,

We walk when possible, trying to avoid using our car or van,

We reduce our rubbish, putting things in the right bin,

We love all wildlife and encourage them in,

We care for other countries as well as our own,

We make sure we think green and stay in the ECO zone!

Our Green Flag Targets

1.       To cut down on the amount of waste we throw away.

This year we have been working hard to reuse, recycle and reduce. We have started the landfill challenge where we see which class throws the least away in a week.

In May we are planning a big TIDY UP our village campaign to involve the local community. We hope everyone will get involved!

2.       To reduce the amount of energy we use in school.

This year we started this with a HUGE energy superhero day. The Eco-team have put stickers on all the lights so that we can monitor which we use. We have introduced ‘energy spies’ who check our classrooms twice a day. We award a trophy to the most energy saving class once a week. The eco-team is also responsible for reading the gas and electricity meter each month. They compare month on month and this years compared with last to see if we are using less. From January to February 2009 our electricity bill fell by over £300. WOW!

3.       Transport

To support the Walk to School week. To encourage families to walk to school. This year Mr Smith has completed the School Travel Plan with the help of children and parents. We have had a parent waiting shelter installed in the playground for wet days. In May we are hoping to set up a park and stride scheme for parents one day a week (WOW – Walk on Wednesday).

4.       Other areas

This year we have set up a link with a school in Uganda. Mr Smith and Miss Gerrard visited the school in February half term. We are going to be starting a growing project after Easter in both schools.

After our amazing achievement with the help of parents and the local community last year, redesigning our school grounds, we are planning to continue to develop the grounds with a trim trail, daffodil planting and increased use of the vegetable garden by all classes. This year Class 1 have also begun Forest  each week. This is very exciting!

NEW ARRIVALS AT SCHOOL

CYCLE TO SCHOOL WEEK 2010

To celebrate National Cycle to School Week all of the children brought their bikes or scooters to school to take part in a sponsored ride. This event was organised by the School Council who are raising money for a climbing wall and new playground equipment. The School Council also encouraged the children to think about the health benefits of cycling to school, while the Eco-team taught us about the environmental benefits.

SWITCH OFF FORTNIGHT

8TH - 19TH MARCH

This term we are supporting the Switch Off Fortnight campaigh to encourage us to be eco friendly and save energy. On the 8th March all of the children in school will be given a sticker to help remind them to turn lights off, turn computers off and keep doors closed to stop the heat escaping from school. At the end of the fortnight children who have done a good job will be awarded a special pencil. We are also hoping children will support this campaign at home and will keep up the hard work
when the week is over.

BIG TIDY UP

22 May 2009

CLASS 2 PLANTING DAY

26TH MARCH 2009

As part of the topic Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Class 2 spent the day planting in the school garden. We all looked at the different types of flower and vegetable seeds that can be grown and how to plant and take care of them. We have planted some seeds in trays to be grown in the poly tunnel and others have been planted straight into the vegetable patch. We are hoping to use our produce to do some cooking at the end of the school year. We are even growing some purple carrots! Thank you to those parents who helped us. See more pics here.

ENERGY SUPERHERO DAY

2ND FEBRUARY 2009

As part of our Green Flag targets to reduce the amount of energy we use in school and at home we had an Energy Superhero day. All of the children and staff came to school dressed as energy superheros. They had to research their energy type and present who they were and why in an assembly.

Throughout the day we held workshops in school with groups mixed from different classes. We calculated how much energy we needed to power a light bulb, made wind socks and many other things. The eco-team worked with all classes to produce an energy pledge. We also took carbon calculators home. How much energy have you saved?

BULB PLANTING DAY

 21ST OCTOBER

This term we have had a bulb planting day in school. Each class had a sack of daffodil bulbs to plant either in the ground or in planters. It was hard work, especially digging under the trees!
 

FOREST SCHOOL STARTS FOR CLASS 1

This term Miss Perkins has begun her Forest School training. From half term all of the children will make a weekly visit to a woodland site in the village to carry out their learning. Miss Perkins and the children are very excited! Keep reading to find out more...

Forest School builds on the natural instinct to learn that everybody is born with. It offers opportunities to make choices, initiate learning and take risks, and encourages positive attitudes and behaviour. The concept was developed in Scandinavia, and operates on the principle that children of all ages benefit from the learning opportunities present in a woodland environment. Forest School sessions are practical. They emphasise the development of self-esteem, communication and social skills, personal responsibility and citizenship. These skills feedback positively into other work in schools and settings. Forest School sessions link to all areas of the curriculum.

ECO-SCHOOLS SILVER AWARD

The Eco-Team are pleased to announce that we have achieved the Silver Eco-Schools standard. Over the year we have been working hard to achieve our three targets:

1. To make the school grounds a great place for learning
2. To cut down on the amount of waste we create in school
3. To reduce the amount of energy we use in school.

All staff and children have worked hard to achieve our targets. Next year we are aiming for the Eco-Schools Green Flag. You can find out more information here.

CHICKS HATCH TO OUR SURPRISE

20 JUNE 2008

On Friday Class 4 made an exciting discovery when they went to feed the chickens. They noticed two tiny chicks pop their heads up from the nesting box. By Monday we had four chicks. The whole school are so excited!

ENVIRONMENT WEEK

2 JUNE 2008

This was an exciting week for all staff, children and helpers. Our BIG project for the week was to develop the school grounds for learning. This we did with the help of lots of parents and friends of the school. We all worked hard to clear the wildlife area; plant a butterfly garden and fern stumpery; we cleared the pond; planted new planters and created a herb and water garden amongst many other things.
In our classes we focused on the issue of Waste. We looked at how we can reduce the amount of rubbish we throw away and the damage that rubbish can do to the environment. Each class got to visit the Wild Waste Bus and we all made recycled paper. It was great fun! During the week each class went on a walk in the local area looking at natural species of plants and animals. We had a brilliant week and would like to thank the people who gave up their time to come and help us. Special thanks also to local businesses who generously made donations towards this project. See before, during and after photos here.

ECO-SCHOOLS SILVER

The Eco-Schools international programme provides a simple framework to enable our school to become more environmentally aware. Brize Norton Primary School is committed to educating children about looking after their local environment and how this can have a wider impact on looking after the world. Brize Norton has been awarded an Eco-school bronze award in 2006/2007 and will be working towards a Silver award in 2007/2008.

Our Eco Team

Class 4           Ben and BJ

Class 3       Bella, Josh and William

Class 2           Chloe, Alex and Kayleigh

The team meet once a week to evaluate the progress we are making towards targets in our eco-schools plan. They decide what we need to do next and how each class can be involved.

Our Eco-code

The Eco-team are currently choosing our Eco-code following our whole school competition. Thank you to all those children who entered. We ahd some great entries and it was so difficult to decide.

Our Eco Priorities

1. Make the school grounds a great place for learning.

So far this year, we have planted a new hedge in the school grounds. We have looked at our topics to include more outside learning. We are planning to have all classes using the vegetable garden and also want to develop the wildlife habitats we have in our school grounds.

2. Cut down on the amount of stuff we throw away and the waste we create in school

In each classroom we have special bins for recycling and compost waste. We recycle all of our fruit waste each day in Roly Pig and are planning to use the compost we make on the vegetable garden. We have joined Recycool, a community recycling project.

3. Cut down on the amount of energy we use in our school.

This term we have set up energy monitors in each class. They have the job of making sure lights, computers and taps are turned off when not in use, and making sure doors are kept closed during the winter months.

The eco-team have been designing persuasive posters to remind the rest of the school to save energy. They have been reading the electricity and gas meters each wee to see how much energy we are saving.

RECYCLING AT BRIZE NORTON

Help the environment and raise money for our school by recycling. Office materials that normally end up in the bin - toner and printer cartridges, and old mobile phones - can be recycled to raise valuable cash for us. So if you are guilty of throwing away old inkjet cartridges and other recyclable office materials, read on!

Brize Norton School has signed up to the leading recycling programme Recycool, a scheme that will help boost school funds and divert products from landfill. Every time you donate a cartridge or old mobile phone to us for the Recycool programme, the school will receive a cash donation.

So please put your old mobile phones, inkjet and toner printer cartridges to one side. A Recycling box will be available in the library after the half term holidays.

You will be helping the environment and helping our fundraising. What’s more, it won’t cost you a penny.

(Please note: Recycool does not accept Epson inkjet cartridges).

If you want to find out more see: www.recycool.org

WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK

12 MAY 2008

During Walk to School Week we have been thinking about the benefits of travelling to school other than in the car. The week started with two visitors. Class 4 had a special visit from the Road Safety Team and had to think about 'staying safe' in the local area. Our second visitor showed us the reasons why we need to wear cycle helmets. He helped check that our helmets fitted properly. Over the week we are going to be learning how walking can help our bodies and the environment. Visit the Walk to School Website here.

Link for website http://www.walktoschool.org.uk

HEDGE PLANTING

27 NOVEMBER 2007

On Tuesday 27th November, the whole school took part in a hedge planting day. We planted a low level hedge along the fence between the school field and the recreation ground. This hedge is made up of Hawthorn, Dogwood, Hazel, Wayfaring Tree, Guelder Rose, Spindle and Field Maple. We have used a range of natural species, as we aim to use this hedge to support the development of the outdoor curriculum. All classes were involved with planting during the day. A big thank you to those parents who came to help. We look forward to watching our hedge grow and change over the seasons and years.  More pictures can be found here.