The Princethorpe Foundation Schools Celebrate Eco-Schools Success

The internationally recognised award celebrates pupil-led environmental action and the collective efforts of young people and educators to make their schools greener, cleaner and more environmentally responsible.

The Eco-Schools programme, delivered in England by Keep Britain Tidy, is a global initiative that has been inspiring young environmentalists for over 30 years. It has grown into a global movement, with Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation awarded to schools in more than 100 countries and engaging over one million young people each year.

All three of the Foundation’s schools have active pupil-led eco-committees that promote environmental matters, make suggestions, plan projects and enact practical change. Last school year, the Foundation’s Environmental Advisory Board set the schools the challenge of engaging with Eco Schools Award. The pupil committees each identified three key focus areas for sustainability improvements and then led projects in their schools to deliver change. Their activities focused on reducing plastic waste, cutting energy use, improving their school grounds’ biodiversity, reducing litter, encouraging healthy living and global citizenship. At the end of the school year, the pupils collected evidence and presented their work for assessment by the Eco-Schools Team.

During the year, all three schools also came together for a Foundation Mock COP Week. Pupils across the schools heard from speakers and engaged in eco activities. The three pupil eco-committees worked together to develop the Princethorpe Foundation Plastic Treaty. The Eco-Schools Award Team, were particularly impressed with Mock COP Week, commenting: “Your greatest eco-success was bringing pupils from your junior and senior schools together for eco-learning and action during the COP Week. Creating your Princethorpe Foundation Plastic Treaty was a brilliant achievement, with pupils agreeing clear, practical eco-pledges. This shared eco-focus had a really positive impact, building unity, confidence and a strong sense of eco-purpose across your whole school community.”

Princethorpe College, Year 11 pupil, Dami, one of the Planet Princethorpe pupil leaders, said, “"Being part of Planet Princethorpe has helped me to learn more about the school in terms of what we are already doing to reduce our environmental impact, and what we can improve on. The award is the result of a year of hard work, and the Green Flag is a great achievement that we are proud to celebrate.”

Foundation Principal, Ed Hester, said: “I am delighted that our pupils’ environmental efforts have been recognised by the Eco Schools Awards Team. I am impressed by the enthusiasm of our pupils to make real change for the benefit of our planet. Their mature and inspirational attitude aligns with their school and the wider Foundation’s sustainability ethos, and our shared goal to make the world a better and brighter place.”

Receiving the Eco-Schools Green Flag is just the beginning though. as our school eco-committees have already begun planning for next year, inspired by their achievements and eager to build on their successes.