Introduction
Lutley Primary School’s environmental focus mirrors the aims of the whole school through partnership working, caring for the local and global environment, increasing their knowledge of environmental issues and achieving high standards. This approach is led through the members of the school's Eco Council.
What was involved?
Eco Schools activity commenced in September 2006 and has become a prominent feature of school life. Every year, members of the school Eco Council are appointed consisting of pupils from all age groups. These pupils demonstrate leadership on environmental issues including energy monitoring, recycling projects, planning environmental events and communicating news and achievements. Pupils also form a Groundforce Team who care for the school grounds.
Energy Monitoring
Members of the school Eco Council take regular reading of the gas and electricity bills and enter the readings into the Eco-driver energy management system that enables them to monitor how much energy is being used by the school. The pupils have also thought about how energy use can be reduced and are involved in audits to identify the rooms where lights, computers, projectors and whiteboards have been left on. The pupils have also designed and distributed posters to encourage people to close doors and windows meaning the school is warmer and electricity bills are reduced.
Communications
The news team are responsible for producing the regular eco newsletter that includes articles on recent activities such as their visit to the Wordsley Eco Home. The pupils learnt from the experience of the owner occupier building and designing his own home and considered how they can apply these learning points within their own lives.
Lutley Little Green Guide
Eco Council members designed and carried out a questionnaire to gauge the level and type of eco activity members of the local community are involved in. To encourage members of the local community to take action and increase their knowledge the pupils produced and distributed the Lutley Little Green Guide; a colourful and informative leaflet containing useful facts and tips on saving energy, recycling, caring for wildlife and growing your food.
Eco Events
The pupils organised and hosted the very first Halesowen Eco Conference attended by 80 people from five local schools. During the day, the pupils participated in a range of eco school activities and the staff are giving consideration to setting up an online resource so they can continue to share ideas with other schools.
Groundforce Team
Members of the school Groundforce team lead on caring for the school grounds through cultivating their own fresh produce, keeping the school grounds tidy and working in partnership with the local community.
Outcomes
The school was awarded their first permanent Eco School Green Flag in June 2010 and will be re-viewed every two years by the Tidy Britain Group to reward their efforts to engage the whole school community in saving energy. http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/ecoschools/school?id=8987 These achievements were also recognised at a national level when the school was one of the finalists in the 2011 Climate Change Awards completing with large organisations such as Durham Council and the Tidy Britain Group.
The school has been recognised twice in the Dudley Energy Heroes Awards as a leading example of energy saving in Dudley Borough; in 2010 for the activities of their Energy Team and in 2011 for sharing experience with other local schools and encouraging parents to incorporate sustainability principles within their own lives.
All the pupils have a good appreciation of energy saving issues and are equipped with the knowledge and skills to save energy at all stages of their lives.
