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Let’s Go Zero school action:
Monk Fryston CE Primary School, England  

Monk Fryston has been taking climate action around their school but also in the local community. They are part of a community energy project working with the other community groups in the village, exploring ways to become carbon neutral. To name just a few actions they are taking around their school:  

 

  • The school has been monitoring their energy use and where energy is being lost using a thermal imagery camera. 

 

  • They are promoting walking and cycling to school. 

 

  • The Eco-committee has achieved Bronze, Silver, and Green Eco schools Flag Award. 
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The teachers and students leading the action:

“We need to educate children in the benefits of carbon neutrality and sustainable energy. They are the next generation of users, and the custodians of our planet. To be able to enact these responsibilities successfully, they need to be aware of the issues and possible solutions”

Rick Weights, Headteacher 

What are they doing in their school?

Monk Fryston is a rural village school that has done a lot of work to reduce the number of cars outside their school gates. They have run campaigns on active travel, taken part in Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel, and encourage park and scoot/cycle/ walk. Parking wardens also publicise these initiatives to parents and visitors.    

The school have created a pond and wildflower areas to improve biodiversity. The students have been involved in creating bug hotels and bird boxes that have been placed around the grounds to encourage wildlife.

Monitoring energy usage is a priority at Monk Fryston. They have also been exploring alternative and more sustainable energy options and researching possible sources of funding that will support these initiatives. In November 2022 they hope to be 100% renewable energy for heat as they have installed ground source heat pumps.

Students used a thermal imagery camera to see where heat was being lost in their school. They have taken part in Powerdown Pete workshops on how to save energy and measure their carbon footprint.

An Eco Warriors team has been established who undertook a sustainability audit in the school using the Eco Schools materials following which they developed an action plan in three key priorities and which they publicised to the whole school community. Through the work they have done in and around the school they have been awarded the Eco Schools Bronze, Silver, and Green Flag awards.