Eco - Heroes

Sustainability Champions: Pupils at Pyrcroft Grange Receive Eco-Schools Green Flag Recognition

This academic year, pupils at Pyrcroft Grange have led the way in promoting sustainability and raising environmental awareness among their school community, including peers, staff members, and the wider local community. Their exceptional efforts have been recognised with the prestigious, internationally recognised Eco-Schools Green Flag with distinction accreditation.

The Eco-Schools programme, established in 1994, 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. In England alone, the programme reaches over 1 million young people each year, empowering them to make a positive impact on our planet.

At Pyrcroft Grange, a pupil-led Eco-Hero Committee, supported by Mrs Woodgate, embraced Eco-Schools' trusted seven-step framework to champion positive environmental behaviours and further their school's sustainability journey. The Eco-Committee kicked things off by reviewing their school environment and curriculum from an environmental perspective. They then worked together to create a detailed and impactful year-long action plan to drive meaningful change.

Their Action Plan focused on three key areas: Energy, Transport and Waste. The Eco-Committee undertook various initiatives to address these priorities, including activities such as monitoring the waste in our school canteen and sharing their findings in a whole school assembly.

Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, expressed: "Every year, we are amazed by the incredible efforts of young people working together to create a better future for all. Their collective impact is truly remarkable. If everyone approached the climate crisis with the same level of passion and determination, we could resolve it much faster and make it a problem of the past. At Keep Britain Tidy, we are delighted to recognise their achievements with the Eco-Schools Green Flag."

To learn more about the Eco-Schools programme and accreditation, head to www.eco-schools.org.uk.

Each class throughout the school has two Eco Heroes who are responsible for helping to monitor the energy usage and recycling within their classrooms. The Eco Heroes meet at least once a half term to feedback and discuss the school’s environmental performance. We have conducted an environmental review of our school and the grounds and have outlined an action plan to improve environmental awareness around the school.

Our Eco Heroes
Year 1		Year 2
Ada	James	Faye	Lyla
Year 3		Year 4
Jacob	Eleanor	Evie	Amelia
Year 5		Year 6
Isaac	Kyrie-Ann	Jimmy	Esme
ASD Centre
Harley

About Eco-Schools

Eco-Schools is a global programme engaging millions of children across 64 different countries, making it the largest environmental schools programme in the world.

The programme is pupil-led and encourages whole school involvement. It also encourages closer links between schools and their communities. It offers many benefits for individual pupils, developing their knowledge and skills and improving their well-being. There are also many benefits for schools, with an added bonus of saving money.

How It Works

The Eco-Schools Programme follows a very simple international Seven Step process that forms the criteria for the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award. Along the way, your school can achieve a Bronze Award, followed by a Silver Award, through self assessment. This provides recognition of the work your pupils have done towards their Eco-Schools Green Flag.

The Eco-Schools Programme is pupil-led; involves hands-on, real-world learning and gets the whole school and the wider community involved in exciting environmental projects. The programme covers ten topics. Schools must cover one topic for the Silver Award, three topics to gain a first Green Flag and five topics for Green Flag renewals, every two years. All topics can be easily incorporated into school life and curriculum regardless of the age of your pupils.

The Eco-Schools Topics

MARINE
	How does what we do in our schools, homes and streets affect our seas? Our NEW marine topic helps you and your students understand our impacts on the world’s oceans and how we can make positive differences for our seas.
BIODIVERSITY
	Although it is extremely hard to determine the exact number of species that we share the planet with, we know that it is a lot and that there is great diversity. How do you promote Biodiversity at school?
ENERGY
	School’s have two main uses for energy: heating and electricity. Can you address both to help lower your school’s impact on climate change?
LITTER
	In the same way that Keep Britain Tidy sees litter as a symptom of wider social problems, OFSTED see litter as a sign of students’ respect (or lack of it) for their learning environment. Is your school litter-free?
WASTE
	Waste comes in many different forms – food, paper, electrical, metal – it can all be reduced, reused or recycled. How can your school manage waste better?
TRANSPORT
	Schools can do a lot to improve the way their staff and pupils travel. Can your school encourage pupils to try new modes of transport?
WATER
	Water; the stuff of life. What can your school do use this precious resource wisely?
SCHOOL GROUNDS
	A school’s grounds are a fantastic environment in which to let the imagination run wild. How will your school make the most of its outside space?
HEALTHY LIVING
	People are part of the environment. We want both to be healthy. How does your school promote choices that are good for us and good for the environment?
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
	Join our International Eco-Schools Twinning Programme