Sustainability
Sustainability Lead and Climate Action Plan
Our Sustainability Lead is our Headteacher who works with a team of staff, pupils and partners to review our work and plan next steps to improve:
1. decarbonisation
2. adaptation and resilience
3. biodiversity
4. climate education and green careers
We are currently working with a number of external partners to develop our Climate Action Plan.
Reward Schemes
We are members of three schemes which recognise and reward our sustainability work:
1. Eco-Schools - we are currently working through their seven-step process with the aim to apply for their prestigious Green Flag award by July 2025. We have identified Biodiversity, Energy and Litter as our three areas to focus on this year - see our action plan below.
2. RHS School Gardening - their five levels allow schools to celebrate the benefits that gardening brings, including supporting the environment and improving wellbeing. We have achieved Level 1 (Spring 2025) and we are now working towards Level 2.
3. Green Tree School - encourages outdoor learning and inspires pupils about trees, woods and wildlife. We currently have a bronze award and are now working towards silver.
Eco-Schools Action Plan
Biodiversity
01. Encourage insect life with: bug hotels / log piles / leaf piles / rock piles.
02. Provide homes and support for birds and animals, for example bird houses, bat boxes, hedgehog highways, or bird baths. (boxes / homes delivered)
03. Regularly top-up bird feeders.
04. Plants chosen for biodiversity, e.g. bee friendly lavender.
07. More opportunities to observe nature: RSPB Bird Watch, trap cameras etc.
08. Labels for trees/plants/ flowers and their biodiversity benefits.
09. Fundraise for endangered animals or conservation project. (Promote The Wildlife Trust's 'The Hedgehog Walk!' from 31st March to 13th April - links to RHS School Gardening Award)
Energy
01. Monitors for turning off lights and devices (not standby) when not in use.
02. Signs encouraging devices to be turned off.
04. Keep windows free of displays to maximise natural light.
05. Investigate smart meter and how to record/report on energy saving classrooms.
06. Participate in ‘Switch off fortnight’ (Nov), Earth Day (April), World Environment Day (June) and other campaigns.
07. Participate in Eco-Schools Cut your Carbon month (Nov).
08. Research green internet search option.
Litter
04. Organise regular litter picking events and encourage families and the wider community to get involved. (Participate in the Keep Britain Tidy School Clean 21st March-6th April 2025)
05. Loan litter-picking equipment during evenings and weekends to families. (Begin with the Big Spring Clean in March)
08. Organise anti-litter and anti-dog poo campaign – poster competition. (Link to the Big Spring Clean)
09 & 10. Appoint litter monitors who could check weekly that the school grounds are entirely free of litter.
Lancaster & District Conservation Volunteers
We have an excellent relationship with the Lancaster & District Conservation Volunteers, a local conservation charity, who have supported us to increase the biodiversity across our school site. Projects have included: reinstating our pond, planting hedgerows and an orchard, extending our copse, building raise beds and creating wildflower meadows.
All of these projects not only improve the habitats for wildlife, but also allows our children to use our environment to deepen their learning about animals and plants throughout the seasons in a safe and accessible way.
Rewilding Roots
We also work closely with Alex from Rewilding Roots (formerly Where the Wildings Are) which aims to support schools in improving their grounds for wildlife and growing food. Alex has been supporting us Y3 to plant spring bulbs, Y1 with a bird survey, Y4 with habitat mapping and Y1 with fixed-point photography so they can track seasonal changes in our school grounds.
Recycling and Composting
We currently recycle paper, batteries and ink cartridges at school. Every room has a blue bin for recycling and a red bin for general waste. We are currently looking at how we can increase the amount of fruit and vegetable waste we compost and have introduced refillable glue-sticks and whiteboard pens.
Active Travel
We love to encourage active journeys to schools and currently take part in a number of themed weeks throughout the year. Knowing that we can do even more, we have signed-up to the WOW Active Travel programme, which is a fully funded year-long initiative to encourage and reward active journeys to school. There are just three simple steps to WOW:
1. Children are encouraged to travel actively to school and when they arrive, they log their journey on the interactive WOW Travel Tracker.
2. If they walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or park and stride (needs to involve a 10-minute walk) to school at least once a week, they get rewarded with a monthly-collectable badge.
3. The results! On average, WOW schools see a 30% REDUCTION IN CAR JOURNEYS taken to the school gate and a 23% INCREASE IN WALKING RATES!
Updated: 2025 RS