Surrey Homes | SH55 | May 2019 | Extensions & Outdoor Living supplement inside

our main teaching building switch themselves off after five
minutes of inactivity to benefit the environment.
Do pupils learn how different communities around the
world care for their environment? One of the statements in
our School Promise is to enhance pupils’ understanding of
local and global communities. Most recently through our
partnership with the four community schools of the Songwe
District in Tanzania, we have been able to gain first-hand
insight from teacher visits on the issues facing families in
Africa. Through the half-termly curriculum projects, children
study communities as diverse as India and Antarctica. We
recently linked up via satellite with Geraint Tarling, an
eco-scientist in Antarctica, to hear about his w ork to protect
the polar environment.
hazelwoodschool.co.uk
Claremont School, Bodiam
& St. Leonards on Sea
How do you teach pupils to be
more aware of the impact they
have on the environment?
Our Eco Committee is made
up of pupils of all ages. It
meets regularly to discuss environmental issues as well
as present their findings, fundraising ideas and eco initiatives
to their friends in whole school assemblies. This keeps
environmental issues high on the agenda for both pupils
and teachers alike and influences lesson content across many
subjects. More recently, in Geography children have been
learning about Fairtrade, in Science lessons, the impact of
plastic pollution and the importance of water conservation...
in French!
Can classes put any of their ideas into practice within
the school? At Claremont, we are blessed with 125 acres of
beautiful grounds, incorporating a variety of both managed
and wild habitats including woodland, grassland and
freshwater habitats. We make full use of our outside resources
to teach environmental education which recently has included
an investigation into what happens to different types of litter
and how long it takes to degrade. To do our bit to address
the decline in insect populations, we will soon be planting
a wildflower meadow and lavender border to attract a greater
variety of pollinating insects. This will inspire further cross
curricular work in Maths and Science lessons.
What environmentally friendly practices does the school
use on a daily basis? We have a very ‘hands on’ approach to
recycling at Claremont, with children carrying out weekly
collections of the recycling bins. They have recently taken
part in ‘switch off week’, encouraging teachers and parents
at home to reduce energy use by switching off lights and
appliances when not needed. We also took part in litter picks
for the Big Spring Clean, encouraging their friends to be
cleaner and tidier, particularly in the dining hall at lunchtime.
Do pupils learn how different communities around the
world care for their environment? Through studying
Fairtrade in Geography, pupils have been learning about the
importance of trade justice and how they can support their
global neighbours by purchasing products where producers
receive a fair price for their hard work. Children learn that
Fairtrade producers endeavour to use sustainable farming
methods that do not compromise future environments.
Our efforts to protect our environment and raise awareness of
eco issues have recently earned us a Bronze Eco Schools Award.
We are now working towards Silver.
claremontschool.co.uk
Hilden Oaks, Tonbridge
Education
How do you teach Pupils to be more aware of the impact
they have on the environment? Celebrating our centenary
this year has led the Hilden Oaks community to ask the
question ‘How sustainable is our school?’ This has prompted
us to adopt the ‘One Planet’ initiative, to help the children
become aware of their impact on the environment with
three main goals in mind: Zero Waste, Use of Products and
Materials and developing Sustainable Water.
Can classes put their ideas into practice within the school?
Within the classroom the children are encouraged to use
resources wisely and to recycle paper and other materials
wherever possible. Our gardening club grow fresh produce
using our home-made compost and this term will be planting
a ‘nectar bar’ to support bio-diversity for bees.
What environmentally friendly practises does the school
use on a daily basis? Our delicious lunches are made from
locally sourced fresh produce as well as ensuring other
ingredients do not contain palm oil. We have had great success
reducing waste from snack packaging and many classes are
now ‘waste-free’. Children bring in reusable water bottles and
we provide refill water stations which are also available for our
whole school community. Water Rangers check that all taps are
switched off after use. In addition, the Eco Club have made
notebooks reusing single sided paper. The Young Enterprise
initiative not only raises money for good causes but also uses
recycled/upcycled materials and we will soon be collecting
plastic bottle tops and used ink cartridges for recycling.
Our pupils demonstrate excellent confidence and resilience
as learners. Their positive attitudes and determination to
perform their best in all that they do never wayne.
Do pupils learn how different communities around the
world care for their environment? Within Geography lessons
the children learn about the physical
and urban water cycle, drought and
the management of water, rivers and
pollution around the world. Hilden
Oaks have raised money for Water Aid
in the past and last Christmas donated
reusable water bottles (filled with
stationery and first aid supplies) for
Gambia to enable children there to
have clean water throughout their day.
hildenoaks.co.uk
Open Morning Friday 10th May
9.30-10.30am: Spotlight on Years 7 and 8
10.30-high noon: Whole school tours
The alphabest of Ha-zelwood
137 surrey-homes.co.uk
For further details, please contact Nick Tappin on 01883 733841. www.hazelwoodschool.co.uk