Eco Schools
What is Eco
Schools?
Eco Schools is an international award programme that guides
schools on their sustainable journey, providing a framework to help
embed these principles into the heart of school life.
Once registered, schools follow a simple seven-step process
which helps them to address a variety of environmental themes,
ranging from litter and waste to healthy living and
biodiversity.
Children are the driving force behind Eco-Schools – they lead
the eco-committee and help carry out an audit to assess the
environmental performance of their school. Through consultation
with the rest of the school and the wider community it is the
pupils that decide which environmental themes they want to address
and how they are going to do it. Measuring and monitoring is an
integral part of the Eco-Schools programme, providing schools with
all the evidence they need to really shout about their
environmental success.
Schools work towards gaining one of three awards – Bronze,
Silver and the prestigious Green Flag award, which symbolises
excellence in the field of environmental activity. Bronze and
Silver are both self accredited through the Eco Schools website and
Green Flag is externally assessed by Keep Britain Tidy.
How can schools register?
Schools can register for free at the Eco Schools website.
Is there any schools registered
in Bedford Borough?
Currently around 62 schools are registered with Eco
Schools- of which 7 local schools have achieved the highest
level- Green Flag.
Support that Pride in Bedford can offer;
- Eco School Seminar
On Monday 19th October 2009 Pride in Bedford ran a seminar
with host school Elstow Lower School. The seminar was free to all
lower and middle schools in the Bedford Borough area. A
representative from Eco Schools attended as well as other agencies
including Anglian Water, Fairtrade Bedford and WRAP.
For a copy of
the Eco Schools presentation please click here.
- Environmental School Roadshow
Every year Pride in Bedford run a two week environmental themed
roadshow in June. Further details of past roadshows can be found by
clicking on the environment roadshow page. Spaces are
offered on a first come first served basis due to popularity.
- Flynn the Bin Elf
Flynn is the Council's anti litter mascot which was designed as
part of a Pride in Bedford school competition. Pride in Bedford can
offer assemblies with Flynn talking about litter and its effects.
For more information on the litter mascot competition and
Flynn
himself please refer to the relevant pages.
- Lending of litter picking
equipment
Pride in Bedford have 30 sets of childrens litter picking
equipment that can be borrowed. With the equipment we also supply
teacher resources, a sample risk assessment and a thank you
certificate for the School to keep. For availability of equipment
please contact the Team on 01234 718276 or email prideinbedford@bedford.gov.uk
- Competitions
Pride in Bedford run competitions with schools during various
campaigns. Recent competitions included the litter mascot
competition (2009) and chewing gum poster competition
(2007). We have also supported local area competitions for in
bloom logo design (Cauldwell and Kingsbrook) and the 'Feed the
Birds not the Rats' poster competition in Queen's Park.
- Green Borough Fair
The first Green Borough Fair takes place every February and is
made of stalls from eco schools and other environmental and
green agencies, groups etc. The next fair will take place in
February 2013. Contact Pride in Bedford on 01234 718276 for
more information and to have a stall at the next Fair.
- Seed Sharing Saturday
Bedford in Bloom run a yearly seed sharing event,
which was held for the third time, in March 2012 at Bunyan
Church Hall on Mill Street. These events are an ideal chance
to swap your surplus/saved seeds and get free seeds too (even if
you have no seed to swap there will be plenty to go round).
The next event will be in March 2013 at the Bunyan Church Hall-
start saving your seeds now!
- Bloomin' Plant Share
2012 saw the second Plant Share event run by Bedford
in Bloom. There will be a range of vegetables, flowers, shrubs and
trees that you can share. If you're a new gardener and have none to
share, just come along and ask for a 'new gardener's allocation
voucher' and pick up lots of tips and advice. If you have any
excess seedlings, divided plants or plants surplus to your
requirements...bring them along to the plant share. For more
information on this event, call Jacky on 01234
718349 - the event took place
this year in May.
Don't forget there are other departments within Bedford Borough
Council that may be able to help you with advice and activities
relating to Eco Schools and its themes;
Recycling/ waste/
composting
Sustainability/ energy
efficiency
Conservation/ biodiversity
Keep looking at this page for up and coming events and news.