The Grange School takes action on environmental issues

The Grange School community is committed to sustainability and is always developing new approaches to ensure that the school is continually working towards becoming carbon neutral. The school’s pupils are wellinformed on environmental issues around sustainability and two student-led groups work hard to ensure that this remains a priority.

EcoAction represents the Senior School stu dents and it’s been very busy this term. After completing an environmental review, the group was inspired to take action and focus on biodiversity within the school grounds. Members conducted litter picks around the school site and got to work making birdfeeders out of seeds, sultanas and raisins to hang from trees during the cold winter months. They also planted 60 saplings of native trees, provided by the Woodland Trust, as this is one of the best ways of taking action to tackle the climate crisis. Native trees lock up carbon, reduce pollution and flooding and support people, wildlife and farming in adapting to the cli mate crisis. Geography teacher at The Grange School Sian Parry said, “If the UK is to reach its carbon neutral target by 2050, the Climate Change Committee has rec ommended an increase in woodland cover from 13% to 19%. The EcoAction group has done an amazing job and is looking for ward to caring for and seeing its trees grow in the years to come.”

The Junior School’s ‘Planet Protectors’ are Year 5 and 6 volunteers who are committed to raising awareness of environmental issues and reducing plastic waste, specifically by recycling plastic packaging. They designed and sold their own school water bottles made from sugar cane to encourage reuse and they continue to look at how the community can work together to reduce its overall waste. The volunteers’ commitment production. And, of course, a huge well done to the cast itself.

Upper Sixth pupil Fiona Telfer runs the Lyrical Dance Club alongside her studies. She said: “I really like running the club be cause I get to choreograph dances and see my visions come to life on stage. I have loved taking part in the dance shows during my time at Stockport Grammar and the autumn show was my last at the school. I’m proud of us all for making it the best show possible.” to sustainability and the environment means that the Junior School has been awarded a Green Flag with distinction from the Eco-Schools initiative. The Eco-School’s Green Flag is an international accreditation that rewards and celebrates the ecological achievements of young people. Receiving a Green Flag with distinction means that the school has now received the highest level of the award.