14 Eco-School Green Flags awarded this summer
Friday, 26 August 2022
14 schools have received their ‘Eco-School Green Flag Award’ this summer, marking a huge achievement for embedding sustainable projects across Central Bedfordshire schools.
This past academic year, we've supported schools by providing advice from a dedicated Sustainability Officer and launching an Eco-Schools forum to help schools share best practice. Applying for an Eco-Schools Green Flag is a way to celebrate and reward the ecological achievements of young people, demonstrating their hard work is appreciated and encouraging them to continue to engage with environmental issues.
In total, 37 schools have taken part in Eco-Schools, to work towards the Green Flag, and the following winning schools have all been presented with their awards:
Etonbury Academy: Green Flag with Distinction
Brooklands Middle School: Green Flag with Distinction
Fairfield Park Lower School: Green Flag with Distinction
Swallowfield Lower School: Green Flag with Distinction
Raynsford Academy: Green Flag with Distinction
Cedars Day Nursery: Green Flag with Distinction
Edward Peake Middle School: Green Flag with Merit
Cherry Trees Day Nursery: Green Flag
Samuel Whitbread Academy: Green Flag
Aspley Guise Village School: Green Flag
Holywell School: Green Flag
Lark Rise Academy: Green Flag
Priory Academy: Green Flag
Thornhill Primary School: Green Flag
Councillor Steven Dixon, our Executive Member for Sustainability and Transformation, said:
We are so proud of our schools’ hard work, raising eco-awareness amongst pupils and making their schools more environmentally friendly. To see 14 schools recognised for their efforts is a huge improvement on the one green flag received last year and shows how we’re all taking a step in the right direction in becoming more conscious of taking care of the world we live in.
Adam Flint, National Manager, Eco-Schools England, said:
The Eco-Schools Green Flag programme is the leading school environmental learning programme in the country. It empowers pupils to take control of sustainable action in their school and develop the skills required to steer our society in a greener direction.
Earning an Eco-Schools Green Flag Award takes passion, commitment and a desire to make a difference. Pupils who achieve the accreditation for their school should be proud of their great work. They’re an inspiration and it makes us feel heartened and positive about the future of our planet.
Nick Martin, Principal at Samuel Whitbread School, said:
Here at Samuel Whitbread Academy we are really proud to announce that we have achieved our Eco Schools Green Flag award. From planting over 2,020 trees to putting on eco fashion shows to highlight the impact of fast fashion, the students of the eco committee have worked incredibly hard to become a green school and to educate how each and everyone of us can play a part in taking care of the world we live in.
The schools will look to renew their Green Flag status annually, with opportunities for exceptional standards to be rewarded with merit or distinction.