Pupils at Valence have once again been awarded a prestigious Eco-Schools’ Green Flag, with Merit.
Students at Valence have once again received international accreditation for their exceptional work in promoting sustainability and raising environmental awareness amongst their peers.
The Eco-Schools programme, established in 1994, is now implemented in over 70 countries worldwide. In 2023-24, more than 1.4 million pupils attended an Eco-School in England. The programme follows a tried-and-trusted seven-step framework, that encourages young people to explore a variety of environmental issues before spearheading environmental action in their school and local community.
This year pupils impressively built on their achievements by focusing on 3 key issues: Energy, Healthy Living and Biodiversity. The Eco-Committee then successfully delivered a diverse range of activities, including participating in Cut Your Carbon Month, No Mow May, growing and selling fruits and vegetables, whole-school herb growing competitions, where the food was used in their school dinners, among many other initiatives.
Speaking about their achievements staff member Mrs Souris said, ‘“The dedication and enthusiasm shown by our pupils toward creating a more sustainable school environment has been nothing short of inspiring. They’ve truly embraced the ethos of taking small steps that make a big difference, and their efforts will have a lasting impact on both the school and the wider community.”
Valence pupil Elizabeth, aged 7 stated, ‘Being part of the Eco Warriors was really fun. I loved learning how to cook vegan brownies, even though they didn't taste that great. My best bit was talking in assembly and making the school more Eco aware. I enjoyed the weekly meetings where we planned what activities we could do to be more environmentally friendly. It was so much fun to learn how to grow our own fruits and vegetables and selling them at Barking Market.'
Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said: ‘The Eco-Schools’ Green Flag is an international benchmark that demonstrates a commitment to fighting climate change and high standard of sustainable practice. Students and staff who earn this award deserve recognition for their dedication toward protecting our planet. Every day, they demonstrate that each of us can contribute to making our planet a better, more sustainable, place.’
To learn more about Eco-Schools head to www.eco-schools.org.uk (link opens in new window)
