December Newsletter
Hello Eco-Coordinators!
As the term and year draw to a close, the Eco-Schools Team would like to extend a massive thank you for your incredible environmental efforts throughout 2024. You have all been proactive leaders, embracing climate education and youth-led action, making significant impacts in the process. We couldn’t be more grateful. Enjoy a fantastic break and have a brilliant start to 2025!
National Topic Award Winners
We’re thrilled to announce our Topic Award Winners of 2024, celebrating some of the most innovative, impactful, and inspiring activities from the past academic year. Each winner, in their own unique way, embodies the essence of what makes the Eco-Schools programme so special. Congratulations to all!
Cut Your Carbon – Win a Mural!
Cut Your Carbon Month is officially over! Now, all that’s left is to calculate how many of your pupils completed each challenge and submit your results to Eco-Schools . As a thank you, everyone who submits their figures before December 20th will be entered into a draw to win one of two murals worth up to £4,000!
Eco-Schools Annual Impact Report
With 2024 nearing its end, we wanted to share our annual Impact Report once more, in case anyone missed it! Our report highlights how individual actions can lead to significant collective impacts. So, the next time someone asks, “What can I do?” show them this report—it’s proof that every effort counts!
Eco-Schools Training
Registration for free Eco-Schools Training is now open! Our Spring sessions focus on integrating environmental issues into your curriculum, expanding initiatives into the local community, and celebrating impacts. With separate sessions for schools and nurseries, this training is relevant for all – even those that missed Autumn training!
A Look Ahead to 2025
And here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming up for Eco-Schools in 2025:
- Count Your Carbon: Our school and nursery carbon emissions calculator will introduce a new educational element, allowing pupils to simulate how different actions impact their school’s carbon footprint.
- We will also use Count Your Carbon to benchmark carbon emissions across the national school estate.
- We’re commissioning research to explore different ways of promoting pre-loved uniforms.
- We’re developing a reusable nappy webinar specifically for our early years settings.
- Following the success of our 50 Eco-Projects resource, we will be creating a similar directory, signposting you to our favourite education resources, approaches to delivering a sustainable curriculum, and organisations/individuals who can visit your school to support your Eco-Schools work.
- And of course, Cut Your Carbon will be back with some very big and exciting upgrades planned for the November ’25 campaign.
Start Your Eco-Schools Application Today
If you haven’t started yet, there’s still plenty of time to begin your Eco-Schools Application for 2024-2025. With updated resources, a streamlined renewal process, and an all-new Early Years pathway, you have everything needed to make an impact in your school, local community, and beyond. Start your application today and make a difference in 2025!
What Else is Happening?
- The Youth Shadow Panel is gathering views from children and young people across England about their experiences in school and college. They need your help to ensure as many young voices as possible are heard! Encourage your pupils to share their thoughts by completing a short, accessible survey or submitting creative responses like pictures, videos, or writing. Find out more!
- Explore ProVeg UK’s new Canteen to Classroom programme. This initiative equips teachers with essential tools to educate children about their food: where it comes from, how it’s made, and its effects on our health and the environment. Check out their ready-to-use, high-quality, evidence-based lesson plans today!
- Recycle Now has released a downloadable version of their new Rescue Me board game and workshop. This download features fun and engaging interactive exercises and materials designed to teach 7-11 year olds how to rescue recyclable items from the rubbish bin. Visit their website to request the files, print them off, and start using them in class right away!
- Modeshift’s Active Travel December has just kicked off! Each day until the end of term, their calendar provides creative ideas for eco-friendly and active ways to travel to school. Download it for free!
- The Big Climate and Nature Education Survey is launching in January 2025! Organised by Students Organising for Sustainability, this online survey invites every student from KS2 to KS5 to share their views on climate change, nature, and education. Registration is now open.
- The WWF has compiled some top tips for those dreaming of a green Christmas. Although these tips are not specifically aimed at schools, they can be shared with pupils or adapted for classroom use e.g. instead of buying individual gifts for your class, you could adopt an animal on their behalf.
- Last weekend, Eco-Schools attended the Nursery Managers Show and had the pleasure of meeting the wonderful team behind Second Hand Toys Bexley. This group sells high-quality pre-loved toys and furniture to the early years sector. If you work in a nursery and need new resources, or if you’re clearing out and want to do so sustainably, we encourage you to explore their offerings and get in touch!
- Join Let’s Go Zero and get a free Climate Action Plan for your school – just in time for Christmas. Once you’ve joined, you can book a free Climate Action Advisor visit to create your school’s own Climate Action Plan – one of the Department of Education’s expectations of schools by 2025. Let’s Go Zero’s also offers brilliant, free schools resources, funding, competitions and support.
