Last week we introduced the Prep School’s first ever Eco Week. This was led by the Head of Pupil Voice, Emily, and the members of the school’s Eco Committee.
Throughout the week lessons for each year group had focused on different elements of ecological sustainability. A range of academic departments became involved and they delivered some interesting and thought-provoking lessons. Amongst many other important topics, pupils learnt about endangered species, food miles, sustainable transport, recycling and repurposing, as well as alternative energy sources. I also saw several of them proudly walking around school with the most fantastic eco badges that they had constructed from recycled materials in Art.
In addition to activities run at school, two groups were lucky enough to head out on fieldtrips:
Year 4 visited the Eden Project in which they learnt about life in the rainforest and how reliant we are upon it. This ties in ideally with their Geography lessons, in which they study the threats to the rainforest and learn how it can be used in a sustainable way.
Year 5 had a super trip to Dartmoor Zoo as part of their studies in Science. Seeing so many beautiful, yet endangered, species was a stark reminder of the fragility of their existence in the wild.
The Eco Committee have contributed many great ideas about how we can make ECS a more sustainable community. The primary target of the group is to significantly, if not totally, reduce our reliance on single use plastic. It is fantastic to see so many individuals doing their bit by carrying re-usable drinks bottles with them and thinking of alternative ways to wrap their packed lunches. The school’s kitchen is also increasingly playing their part, most recently ceasing to use plastic yogurt pots. Whilst we still have a long way to go, progress is certainly being made.
