Sustainability at Our School 

At our school, sustainability is an important part of who we are and how we live out our Catholic ethos. As part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, we are committed to caring for our common home, promoting the common good and helping our pupils become responsible, compassionate stewards of God’s creation. 

Our Approach 

We take a whole school approach to sustainability, embedding it into everyday school life, learning and decision‑ making. Our school has a Sustainability Lead (our Year 5 teacher, Miss Turnbull) and a Climate Action Plan, which is regularly reviewed by school leaders and governors. Pupils, staff and families are encouraged to work together, knowing that small actions can make a meaningful difference. 

To help us understand our impact and plan improvements, we use the Greener Schools Index, an environmental audit tool that supports schools to identify strengths and priorities across energy, waste, water and sustainability education. 

What we focus on 

Our sustainability work includes: 

• Reducing energy and water use.

• Managing waste responsibly and increasing recycling. We have had whole school assemblies focused on this, ensuring the children know what waste can be recycled, and what can’t.

• Encouraging sustainable travel, such as walking and cycling. The children are also taught how to do this safely, through road safety awareness and the Bikeability scheme.

• Developing biodiversity and outdoor learning spaces. The Eco Warriors complete regular litter picks to keep our environment clean and safe. Alongside gardening club, they are also working on improving the biodiversity of the school grounds.

• Teaching pupils about climate change and sustainability. We complete this through regular whole school assemblies and our PSHE curriculum. 

• Working with families and the local community.

• Promoting green skills and future careers. This year we celebrated Green Careers Week, where the children learned about various environmentally-focused careers.

Eco Club

It is important to us to make our children as involved as possible in keeping our school sustainable.

Our Eco Club is run on Thursday lunchtimes, led by Miss Turnbull. The club focuses on projects that are chosen by the children and guided by Miss Turnbull.

Some examples of projects already completed this year are:

• Signage around school to encourage children and staff to switch off lights and chargers. These signs were designed and distributed by the children.
• Litter picking. The children learned how to safely use litter pickers and how to sort the waste they find.
• Making sock puppets. This project showed children how we can upcycle fabrics that may be seen as waste. The children designed and made their sock puppets, before performing sock puppet theatre productions for younger classes.
• ‘Happy Shoesday’. This event was organised by Eco Club for Walk to School Week. Children were encouraged to walk to school wearing their favourite shoes. This event was used to fundraise for ‘Living Streets’ charity.

This club has made the children very passionate and knowledgeable about sustainability, as well as giving them a sense of personal responsibility.

Learning for the future 

Sustainability and climate education are woven through the curriculum and wider school life. Pupils learn about environmental issues, ethical choices and how they can care for the world around them. Outdoor learning, eco‑projects and pupil‑led initiatives help children develop confidence, wellbeing and a sense of responsibility. 

Our buildings and resources 

We aim to use our buildings and resources responsibly by: 

• Reducing energy and water waste.

• Making environmentally conscious choices in procurement, catering and IT.

• Managing waste ethically and reducing single use‑ plastics where possible.

These actions support both environmental sustainability and the long term‑ wellbeing of our school community. 

Working with our community 

We value the support of parents, carers, parishes and local organisations in promoting sustainable living. Community projects, eco‑clubs and practical initiatives help pupils put their learning into action and see how sustainability connects to everyday life. 

Looking ahead 

By working together as a school community and as part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, we aim to make steady progress towards a more sustainable future, ensuring that our school is a place where children can flourish in harmony with God’s creation.