Parsons Down Partnership of Schools to apply for eco accreditation

Two Thatcham schools are applying for an annual eco accreditation award after a busy year of environmentally friendly action.

The Parsons Down Partnership of Schools achieved Eco-Schools Green Flag status in 2020 after they grew their green credentials to become an environmentally friendly community.

Eco-Schools is a global programme engaging children to drive change and improve their environmental awareness to achieve ‘Green Flag’ recognition.

This year the schools' eco-committee selected energy, waste and litter as their Eco-Schools' topics for what they called an “action packed year”.

In September 2021, the committee achieved success in a request to the school's finance manager for food, plastic and metal recycling bins.

The Key Stage 1 snack waste is being composted using compost bins in the Partnership Garden and printer cartridges are being collected in the school's reception for recycling, with parents dropping off their empties.

In November the school took part in a Waste Warriors Week where the children explored different ways to reduce food waste.

Staff from West Berkshire Council attended on the day to create a film about their Eco-Schools journey.

The school has continued with its class monitors for switching off electrical items that are not in use with Year 6 IT monitors checking the IT suite and library at lunchtime and at the end of each day to make sure computers are turned off.

Crisp packets and pens are continuing to be recycled with Terracycle. In December the school sent 3.135kg of crisp packets to Iron Man Survival Blankets so that they could be made into insulated and waterproof blankets for people living on the streets.

Lunchtime litter picks have been taking place this year and follow a rota, allowing two monitors to take a week each term.

Wider litter picking events have also been on the agenda with the school joining Thatcham Litter Pickers for its Great British Spring Clean event, filling 40 bags worth of litter.

An anti-litter poster competition raising awareness of the issue may also be run.

In the summer term, a non-curriculum afternoon was held when children learnt about different types of energy, where it comes from and how it can be conserved.

Parsons Down Partnership Eco-Coordinator Miss Hargood said: “On top of our topic actions for Eco-Schools, we have also made an impressive donation of 242.5kg of food to the West Berks Food Bank, transformed our Partnership Garden with the help of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, taken part in Outdoor Classroom Day and sowed a wildflower meadow at Rivar Sand and Gravel.”

She added: “We are so proud of the environmental action we have taken this year and will be applying for our Eco-Schools Green Flag award in the next few weeks.”