School initiatives & programmes • Sustainable Schools • Eco-Schools • Healthy Schools • Growing Schools • London Schools Environment Award
a joint project
School initiatives & programmes By carrying out some of the activities in this pack your school will be doing work it could count towards additional programmes or awards. This section briefly describes some of the most relevant initiatives you may like to count your outdoor educational work towards or develop further. Even if you do not intend to take part all of the sites are worthy of a visit as they are valuable sources of information.
Sustainable Schools www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools The DfES is committed to embedding sustainable development in schools, the curriculum and the community and is working with partners and other Government departments to provide the necessary tools for this to happen. The Government has set an aim for all schools to be Sustainable Schools by 2020. The DfES National Framework for Sustainable Schools identifies eight ‘doorways’ through which schools may choose to initiate or extend their sustainable school activity. Each clarifies where the Government would like schools to be by the year 2020. Although every school will start from a different place, with different priorities and needs, all schools can take action to meet these expectations. Food and drink - all schools are model suppliers of healthy, local and sustainable food and drink. Energy and water - all schools are models of energy efficiency, renewable energy use and water management. Travel and traffic - all schools are models of sustainable travel. Purchasing and waste - all schools are models of waste minimisation and sustainable procurement. Buildings and grounds - all school buildings make visible use of sustainable design features and develop their grounds in ways that help pupils learn about the natural world and sustainable living. Inclusion and participation - all schools are models of social inclusion, enabling all pupils to participate fully in school life. Local well-being - all schools are models of good corporate citizenship within their local areas. Global dimension - all schools are models of good global citizenship. s3 is a Sustainable School Self-evaluation tool for primary, middle and secondary schools. It has been designed for everyone involved in education - teachers, school leaders, pupils, governors, education authorities and parents. A whole-school approach to self-evaluation offers valuable opportunities to develop the skills and competencies everyone needs in order to become a sustainable school. The s3 tool enables those involved in sustainable development to document their efforts and report the improvements and benefits to the school and community. It follows the same sequence of headings found in the 2005 Ofsted Self-Evaluation Form (SEF) and helps schools organise the information they need to write evaluative statements and identify key priorities for development.
Eco-Schools www.eco-schools.org.uk Eco-Schools is a programme for environmental management and certification, and sustainable development education, for schools. Its holistic, participatory approach and combination of learning and action make it an ideal way for schools to embark on a meaningful path to improving the environments of schools and their local communities, and of influencing the lives of young people, school staff, families, local authorities. The Eco-Schools programme is Europe-wide and designed to encourage whole-school action for the environment. It is a recognised award scheme, rewarding and accrediting schools that have made a commitment to continuously improve their environmental performance. It is also a learning resource, raising awareness of environmental issues through activities that link to curriculum subjects. The aim of the Eco-Schools programme is to make environmental awareness and action an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of the school - both for pupils and for staff. By following the programme, schools become a more stimulating place in which to learn, whilst reducing the environmental impact of the whole school on the community. The scheme is rooted in a genuine desire to help children become more effective citizens by encouraging them to take responsibility for the future of their own environment. It is not about environmental excellence, it is about the school starting to look at how it impacts upon the environment and how this can be managed. Pupil involvement is a key part of the Eco-Schools programme. There are three award levels: • Bronze award - self-assessed via website leading to a certificate • Silver award - self-assessed via website leading to a certificate • Green Flag - externally assessed leading to a certificate and flag The first stage in the Eco-Schools process is registration. Before registering please ensure that your Headteacher and, ideally, the governing body are keen to support this programme.
Healthy Schools www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk The Healthy Schools Programme is one of the key DfES and DoH strategies to improve health through work in schools. Locally it is a joint Programme between CEA@Islington and Islington PCT supporting Islington schools to become healthier places. All schools are expected to be working within the scheme by 2009. The programme supports schools in addressing four themes: Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Emotional Health and Well-being. Activities such as improving school grounds, being involved in a food growing project or providing opportunities for gardening activities all link in to help meet the criteria of the healthy schools initiative.
Growing Schools www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/ Growing Schools is a government programme which aims to encourage and inspire all schools (nursery, primary, secondary and special) to use the outdoor classroom, both with and beyond the school grounds, as a context for learning across the curriculum. It focuses in particular on food, farming and the countryside, ensuring pupils are given first hand experience of the natural world around them and on integrating outdoor learning activities into every day teaching practices. Schools can use the Growing Schools site to find information on health and safety, funding sources, published research, training, resource materials and places to visit, news and events. It also provides case studies on outdoor learning and school grounds development. The growing schools site can be searched by National Curriculum subject and Key Stage. There are also practical Growing Schools activity packs available on request.
London Schools Environment Awards www.london.gov.uk/mayor/education/lsea/index.jsp The London Schools Environment Awards, open to all London’s primary schools, were set up in 2003 to develop children’s sense of responsibility for their environment. Each year prizes are awarded to two schools in each borough • A Distinction Award and £2,000 • A Highly Commended Award and £1,000 Every school that registers is sent a free Environmental Toolbox containing information and practical environmental items to use inside and outside the classroom There are six LSEA themes: • Litter and Local Environment Quality • Waste and Recycling • Water • Energy and Climate Change • Transport to school • Biodiversity