Eco Schools

What is Eco-Schools?

In our experience, educators and young people care deeply about environmental issues and have a strong desire to actively protect our planet. However, environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity-loss, or plastic pollution are huge global issues and the thought of tackling them can be intimidating, leaving many feeling overwhelmed and wondering ‘Where do I begin?’

The Eco-Schools programme provides a simple, seven-step framework that answers this question whilst empowering young people to make a difference in their school, local community and beyond. Since 1994, millions of young people around the world have worked through the Eco-Schools Seven Steps before being recognised for their efforts with a prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag.

Schools connect their activities to three or more of the Ten Eco-Schools Topics. These topics break large, global issues like climate change into more manageable and directed themes that prompt young people to consider environmental changes that they can make in their school and everyday lives. (from https://www.eco-schools.org.uk)

What LKCS do

The Eco Council work with the Eco Lead to assess starting points, using the Environmental Review before deciding on which Eco School topics are going to be the focus for the year. Together, they make an action plan, suggesting small manageable targets that contribute towards achieving broader sustainability goals. Throughout the year, children are encouraged to offer suggestions on how to contribute towards earning Eco Flag and there are many whole school initiatives which all children are involved in, such as the Great British Spring Clean. Eco Council regularly monitor progress towards our goals throughout the year and provide updates to the whole school community through assemblies, write reports for the school newspaper and there is often an Eco section in the weekly parents’ newsletter.

The Eco Lead then completes an application to be awarded an Eco Flag at the end of each academic year which is assessed by the Eco Schools team.

Awards that LKCS have won

We are very proud that we successfully achieved 6 Eco Flag awards between 2009 and 2021 (awarded bi-annually).

Eco Schools changed how they grade and award Eco Flags in 2022. We achieved Eco Flag with Merit in 2022 and with Distinction in 2023 and 2024.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Eco Lead, Mrs J Clements-Ross.