Information on Loughborough

Gartree High gets its first Green Flag

Posted on 10/07/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Community Services

8 July 2009

Gartree High gets its first Green Flag

Photo opportunity - 8.40am, Friday, July 10, at Gartree High School, Ridgeway Oadby, LE2 5TQ.

Gartree High School in Oadby is celebrating its first Green Flag in the Eco Schools programme.

The school started on its eco journey in September 2006 and since then has been involved in a number of different projects to become more green.

Since becoming an Eco School the school:

  • Has paper and carboard recycling bins in every room and also recyles cans and plastic bottles
  • Has hosted a successful swishing (clothes swap) event with over 200 items of clothing swapped
  • Has developed a School Travel Plan and now more staff and pupils cycle to school
  • Has installed new cycle sheds and has Year 7 and 8 cycle proficency training
  • Was involved with the Big Switch Off 2008
  • Takes weekly energy meter readings
  • Is a fairtrade school, selling fairtrade products at the snack bar and has written the Oadby Fairtrade Guide

Eco co-ordinator at Gartree High School Liz Parkin said: “We are excited and delighted to have received Green Flag status, it is such an incentive for the children to continue to work towards a greener future for not only their own, but the wider environment.

“We have worked together as a team so that we now have a cleaner, tidier and more sustainable school.”

Cllr Ernie White, Cabinet Lead Member for Better Places at Leicestershire County Council, said: “ I am delighted the pupils at Gartree High have been recognised for all their hard work and dedication.

“Eco Schools is an important initiative. It enables children to take home the environmental message, helping to spread the word throughout the community.”

The Eco Schools programme is a Europe-wide project run by the Tidy Britain Group and is designed to encourage whole-school action for the environment.

Gartree High School will be presented with its First Green Flag at a special assembly

Date: Friday, 10th July 2009

Time: 8.40am

To arrange, please call Liz Parkin, eco co-ordinator, on 0116 271 7421.

There are currently 157 schools in Leicestershire registered as Eco Schools. Of those 157 schools, 19 have received their first Green Flag, seven their second Green Flag, 11 their third Green Flag and two their fourth Green Flag.

The Eco Schools programme is a recognised award scheme, rewarding and accrediting schools that have made a commitment to continuously improve their environmental performance.

It is also a learning resource, raising awareness of environmental issues through activities that link to curriculum subjects. Schools must demonstrate that they have made significant progress towards improving their performance before the ‘Green flag’ status is achieved.

The aim of the Eco Schools programme is to make environmental awareness and action an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of the school – both for pupils and for staff.

For further information on Eco Schools see www.eco-schools.org.uk

http://www.leics.gov.uk/ecoschools