The Great Big School Clean 21st March – 6th April 2025

It’s not too late to join the #GBSchoolClean and help tackle litter in your local community! Since the Spring Clean campaign began in 2016, over 4 million bags of litter have been collected, protecting wildlife, improving communities, and saving our country money. Be part of the nation’s biggest mass action environmental campaign and receive free resources, including our brand new Great Big School Clean assembly!

What else is happening?

• FEE’s Global Action Days are back for 2025! This fortnight-long celebration, organized by global operators of the Eco-Schools programme, the Foundation for Environmental Education, runs from 22nd April to 6th May. Register below to get involved and receive your free supporting resources. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make a difference!
• There’s still time to sign up for the Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel! This is the UK’s largest walking, wheeling, scooting, and cycling to school challenge, taking place from 24th March to 4th April 2025. Register below to boost pupils’ physical and mental health, improve air quality, and reduce carbon emissions.
• Common Seas is offering grants of up to £500 to help your school become Plastic Clever! The Plastic Clever Schools program provides all the resources you need to empower your students to reduce plastic waste in their schools, communities, and beyond. Find out more about how to apply for the grant by clicking below. Application Deadline Monday 17th March.
• Free TastEd Teacher Training: An Online Introduction to Sensory Food Education. Want to help your pupils explore new foods with confidence and curiosity? TastEd are running free, 45-minute online training. These sessions are designed for UK primary school teachers and staff, three dates are currently available: Wednesday, 26 March at 4:00 PM, Tuesday, 1 April at 4:00 PM, and Tuesday 22nd April again at 4:00 PM.
• Teachers: Help young people share their views on education! The Youth Shadow Panel is gathering insights from students across England about their school experiences. In March and early April, the youth-led Shadow Curriculum and Assessment Review will host online and in-person workshops (in London and Bristol) to hear their thoughts on educational changes. Share this link with interested pupils.
• Donate Clothes for Sammy is an initiative aimed at schools in the North West, collecting preloved clothing from schools and paying the schools 45p per kg! So, If you’re based in the North West and want to cut clothing waste, raise funds, and support Leukaemia & Myeloma Research, click for further information!
• British Science Week 2025 kicks off on Friday and runs until 16th March. Their accompanying, free activity packs are downloadable now. Available in Early Years, Primary, and Secondary the packs feature activities like making a wormery, creating footprint tunnels, and a waste-free lunch investigation. Download below!
• WWF is offering several live lessons throughout March that you won’t want to miss! Each free session starts at 10am: On 12th March their lesson is about Holi, the Hindu festival of colour with a focus on how colour is used in nature. On Wednesday 19th March, they’re delivering a session about Earth Hour, which this year is on Saturday 22nd March. Finally, on Tuesday 25th, they’re running a session about daily doses of nature. Register via the link below.
• Earth Hour 2025 is happening on Saturday, 22nd March, from 8:30pm to 9:30pm. Although this falls outside school hours, consider using your newsletter or other channels to encourage pupils and their families to participate. Iconic landmarks like the Liver Buildings and Christ the Redeemer will also turn off their lights for this global event! Click the link to find out more.
  

  Enjoy the Springtime Sunshine!

  The Eco-Schools’ Team