Eco Schools
DASP Schools are now looking to work towards achieving the Eco Schools award. This is part of an on-going committment to make our schools more energy efficient, less wasteful of food and materials and generally 'greener'.
Eco Event for DASP Schools
DASP Schools got together on July 1st 2010 at the Thomas Hardye School to celebrate what has been achieved so far. The Student Voice of each First and Middle School came along with display material that celebrated their achievements on Eco Schools/ sustainability. This included displays of children?s work, photos or an ICT presentation.
The format was like a farmer?s market with each school able to show off what they had brought. The idea was to pick up good ideas from each other. As everyone went round the room, the ideas flowed and there were very mature conversations between pupils of all ages.
Students from Thomas Hardye School made a presentation about their success in the Sustainable Schools Award, where the school won the South West Area Group and received an award from Carol Vordeman at a special presentation in Bath.
Ideas that really seemed to catch the imagination of children were: a rug from Manor Park First made from old fleeces, Milborne First had been using spare wooden items to make play equipment for the school grounds (such as a Pirate ship from an old barrel). Broadmayne had made various items from thrown away paper, including bags from newspaper and papier mache bricks. Damers had produced a video news bulletin for their Eco week.
Another element of the schools' work will be promoting national and international links with other schools.
What are DASP Schools doing?
This section is an outline of some of the current Eco projects in our schools (more to be added soon). If you wish to add anything or send contributions (including pictures) please send to:
Broadmayne First are recycling paper, books, pencil sharpenings, old fabrics and unused lunch!
Cheselbourne First have installed a light monitor to help save power. They are composting and recycling paper. They have also begun to plant trees.
Damers First are producing a video news bulletin about their green efforts. They recently held a no electricity day, where they managed without lights and computers for the day. They also compost old fruit skins and grass cuttings.
Frome Valley First are composting leftovers. Each classroom has a compost bin. Lunch remains are used to feed nearby chickens.
Milborne First have created a garden area, with a willow tunnel and a tree nursery. They are growing their own vegetables, including runner beans. They recently had a recycling competition. Also a 'Ground Force' day, where all the school benches got painted.
Piddle Valley First are using composting bins, growing vegetables and sending unused food for chicken feed. They are working towards their bronze award.
Puddletown First Have a nature Club and garden. They have a litter patrol as part of a Keep Puddletown Tidy campaign. They attended an Eco Summit with St Marys Middle school at Bryanston.They are have put into effect the training they received to make a Greenhouse from bamboo and bottles. In September 2010, they were awarded the prestigious Green Flag award for their work in making the school eco-friendly.
Puddletown Middle have been trying to save power by turning off lights. They had 2 days of textile re-cycling. They have a new set of compost and recycling bins. They have created an open air area for children to relax, including a covered space, They are also hospitable to minibeasts, because they have built a 'Bug Hotel' from old pallets and scraps. At a recent Pupil Voice meeting children from the mini pyramid were shown some of these features, as our photo shows.
The St Mary's Bug Hotel
St Mary's Catholic First School has set up an Eco-club and over the last year have made 6 bird boxes and located them all over the school grounds. They have also made a bug hotel in the new biodiversity garden, have planted hedglings and a wild meadow, put hippos in all of their toilets, allocated light and computer monitors in all years and are just starting textile recycling. Their gardening club have planted lots of vegetables, including hanging baskets full of tomatoes, and use the compost they make from their own compost bins. They are currently working towards their Green Flag award.
Thomas Hardye are through to the finals of the Sustainable Schools Competition and their Student Voice are working hard towards this.
LInks
Eco Schools
http://www.eco-schools.org.uk/
The Pod (making schools greener)
Trees for Dorset
http://www.treesfordorset.co.uk/