Let’s Go Zero school action: NettlesworthPrimary School, County Durham
Nettlesworth Primary School wishes to become a Climate Friendly School and help resolve, rather than intensify, the climate crisis. To become ‘climate friendly’ the school has chosen ten achievable goals which cover different areas of the school’s culture, curriculum, and community. To name a few, they have:
Set up a Climate Friendly Action Team to help assess and meet their goals.
Planted 30 native trees to act as a carbon store.
Encouraged the purchasing of Fairtrade products and established a uniform swap shop.
Read on to see what else the school has been able to achieve or aims to achieve. If you are interested in becoming a Climate Friendly School, visit their website to find out more: https://www.climatefriendlyschools.org.uk/
Explore the Let’s Go Zero map to see where else teachers, students and school communities are taking action to become zero carbon by 2030.
The teachers and students leading the action:
“By being part of the project I feel I have been able to integrate daily climate friendly messages within my curriculum. All children across school have an enhanced understanding of this topic. I have enjoyed creating a team with various stakeholders, it has broadened my understanding of working professionally. I would highly recommend this project to other schools. It has had such a positive impact on our school as a whole.”
Rebecca Aspinall
“I am enjoying being part of the Climate Friendly Action Team as it has given me a purpose and leadership role in school. I think now we are doing it more people are aware of the environment and how they can help it.”
Praim, Year 5
“I like being part of the team. I really enjoyed doing the poster competition because now the signs around school remind people to turn lights off, it was a good idea”
Robyn, Year 6
What are they doing in their school?
Many of the students do not live locally so sustainable and active travel is hard for the school to encourage.
However, to reduce mileage and lead by example, staff who can, do not drive, and meetings are encouraged to be virtual wherever possible. The school has alsopreviously used hired electric vehicles for events and school trips.
Nettlesworth Primary School have planted 30 native trees on site to encourage wildlife and act as a carbon store which they linked to a Key Stage 2 workshop on carbon sequestration.
The school hopes to change to LED lighting, prioritising high-traffic corridors, to begin with. They also hope to replace their old heating panel with a smarter one so to allow more control over the settings.
The school encourages the purchasing of Fairtrade products and hasestablished a uniform swap shop.
The Climate Friendly Action Team consists of teachers, teaching assistants, parents, members of the community, governors, the school caretaker and 10 pupils. The members bring experience and knowledge of the school, its history and are active members of the community, which has enabled them to source free resources to help them towards their actions and to spread awareness of their work towards the project through coffee mornings.
A Green Careers themed week has also been planned. Inviting parents and carers who have a ‘green career’ to come and speak.