Edwalton Primary
Yet another award for Edwalton Primary School!
It appears that awards are coming thick and fast for Edwalton Primary school – I have blogged previously about this amazing school (I am biased as I am a Governor there) and its green credentials. Well that has now been confirmed by a national award.
The school has been awarded ‘outstanding sustainable school’ in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) awards for 2012. This is a national award and is a fantastic achievement for the school, it is due recognition for the hard work that everyone at the school has put into driving forwards the sustainability agenda, from the kids, through the staff and finally to Brian Owens the headmaster who is the inspiration and driving force behind everyone. We were nominated in 2011 but sadly didn’t win – but this year has seen the ‘right’ decision.
Keep an eye out for this school, this is the way education should be going at primary level in the UK, other schools can (and are) learning a lot from its environment and general approach to teaching.
Fantastic news and another good reason to shout from the rooftops about Edwalton Primary West Bridgfords number one primary school!
Don’t underestimate your local school!
We are all used to the area we live in having its ‘favoured’ school – it may be due to a well-earned reputation – but could well be historical and irrelevant! In West Bridgford we have a number of excellent Primary schools, and some that are favoured more than others. I am a Governor at one which has perhaps been out of the limelight for too long and without doubt its day has come – Edwalton Primary school.
The school has for a long time been at the forefront of the green agenda – it has a farm, a wood and it’s pupils are fully involved in following a ‘green curriculum’. It also forms the centre of an ‘eco hub’ serving other schools who wish to learn from its years of experience in the Eco field! As a by-product it also produces very nice kids!
It’s latest achievement however really needs shouting from the roof tops – it is one of 8 schools in the country to be chosen to meet Royal Highness The Prince of Wales at the first ever WWF Green Ambassador Summit at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire on Thursday 5 July. Over sixty young Ambassadors, including 8 from Edwalton Primary School will attend the two-day event (4-5 July) with teachers Hugh McCahon and Laura Paget and Head Teacher Brian Owens, along with WWF representatives and special guests.
On the second day, Ambassadors will take part in a series of creative workshops, including a food-growing session and art- and writing-led workshops, aimed at encouraging visions for a sustainable future. The schools will also be given a special tour of the gardens and experience the Prince of Wales’ own personal vision of a sustainable environment at Highgrove.
Brian Owens, Head teacher said:
“This is a marvellous moment in the history of our school. It’s a wonderful recognition of the many outstanding contributions from staff, children, parents and governors to make the school a better place. I am so proud of everyone who has help in whatever way to make our school such a special, unique place to be”
WWF has long recognised the importance of young people and the Green Ambassador scheme is specifically designed to empower, engage and enable young people to take a leadership role whilst developing skills in team work and communication. The ‘Champion Schools’ were specially chosen by WWF for their commitment to environmental action and willingness to help other schools get involved.
Amazing what your local school can achieve!
We are through!
Well to be more accurate Edwalton Primary Schools EnergyShare bid has got through to the next round! I blogged about this a few weeks ago and after some last-minute vote collecting we appear to have made it through to the second round.
We were in the top 100 groups out of 939 registered. At 46th we are in the top 5% for number of supporters, a really good result and worthy of a pat on the back for all of our supporters!
The next round requires a written application detailing why the school should be included in the last 10. The applications will be assessed by River Cottage, Friends of the Earth and British Gas.
As a school with a history of sustainability, a green ethos and its own farm, we should have a good chance with the judges – especially as one of them is Hugh Fernly-Whittingstall of River Cottage fame! The school has been a beacon of sustainability and environmental education under the headship of Brian Owens, and with the commitment of the staff, students and wider school community I think Edwalton stands a great chance!
Take a look and add your support if you think we deserve to go further in this competition.
Support Edwalton’s EnergyShare bid
As a governor at such an environmentally friendly school I often get the chance to see ways in which the school is trying to become even greener. Well now through the EnergyShare scheme we are trying to add a solar array to the school and we need as much support as we can muster!
The energyshare scheme aims to brings people together in person and online to turn the energy system on its head. It gives everyone the opportunity to source, use and even generate their own 100% British renewable energy – and save money doing it.
There’s up to £500K available in the launch round of the energyshare fund. And that’s just the start. energyshare’s founding partners, River Cottage and British Gas are committed to finding more funding. As a start, British Gas are distributing a further £3m to community renewable energy projects through the energyshare fund over the next 3 years.
Energyshare wants to hear from all types of communities across Britain. A registered community group can apply for up to £100,000, and that is what Edwalton Primary School is after! To be able to apply we need to fulfill the following criteria;
- We must have the objective of saving or generating energy locally
- We are supported by their local community.
- It should benefit the local community and have a tangible and lasting impact.
- some aspect of the project is realistically achievable within one year.
- It will inspire even more community renewable projects
So we need the support of the local (and wider) community, log onto the website at this link and show your support – help Edwalton get even greener!
We are up for (another) award!
I am exteremly proud to be a Governor at Edwalton Primary School, my kids left years ago but I still enjoy being involved at this very special school. Education here is about much more than lessons in the classrooms.
The school has its own farm and the children are responsible for feeding and caring for the animals – not the staff. Many of the pupils have shared garden plots and the school has a three-acre woodland, where children have outdoor lessons and learn to care for the environment.
Now the school has been nominated for a Times Education Supplement (TES) Outstanding Sustainable School award. The school’s emphasis on all things ecological has led to it being the first primary in the country to be given a specialist status for rural dimension and sustainability. This means it will assist other schools in Notts and the rest of the country. Trainee teachers from Nottingham Trent University also visit the school to learn from its eco credentials.
The farm is at the front of the school building, it includes pigs, goats and rabbits. The gardens are dotted all around. Children tend to these on a daily basis and often get help from parents after school. There is also a polytunnel and greenhouse. The woodland at the back includes four outdoor classrooms with bits of tree used as seats.
The school also has a team which does energy surveys. They check to make sure windows are closed and lights are turned off when not needed. The school last year saved 27 per cent of its energy bill compared with 2008-09.
The TES award ceremony will be in London on July 8, here’s hoping we win!
Well done Edwalton Primary!
It’s not often that we get a ‘first’ in school terms in Nottingham. But this week Edwalton Primary School at which I am a Governor has seen a great confirmation of its years of work in promoting and following the green agenda.
School farms and following an environmental theme are very popular now at Primary and Secondary level – but Edwalton is at the forefront of this work (and has been for years) – it really is an amazing place!
In recognition of this work it has now received Rural Dimension Accreditation! This sounds grand, but more importantly this is the first Primary School to achieve this – a national first! The letter confirming the award highlights the following;
We have been most impressed with the dedication that your school has
already shown towards developing the rural dimension. In particular we note:-• the innovative and creative ways that you are using the rural dimension in bringing learning to life.
• the excellent reputation that the school has with pupils, parents, staff and the wider community – a place that people want to come to!
• pupil engagement in a wide range of curricular activities associated with the rural dimension.
• the energy of leadership and strong team approach towards the rural dimension
• commendable work to become a lead on sustainable schools and the creation of a network to share good practice.
Rural dimension accreditation is recognition that schools provide opportunities for their pupils to increase their experience of rural and environmental topics and issues as part of their curriculum, thus broadening student experience, increasing motivation and raising levels of achievement.
This is a fantastic achievement, congratulations must go to Headmaster Brian Owens and all the staff and children!
School Gardens
I blogged last week about my role as Chair of Governors at Edwalton Primary school, and more importantly about what a fantastic school it is especially with regards to its green credentials. One of its best features is the way the children embrace the concept of being green, and more importantly have regard to the effect their actions can have on the environment – take note BP.
One of the most amazing recent ‘happenings’ at school is the growth in the demand and love for the school gardens. Subject to availability, any of the pupils can have their own patch of garden in the school grounds – not a large space, but enough to express themselves by planting and tending it.
The recent building work at school to put in the new eco room and classroom building caused a section of the school playground to be ‘destroyed’ by the builders as they put in services etc. Considering this work was only done a few months ago the transformation that has occurred since the gardens were returned to the children is nothing short of miraculous! (apologies for the quality of the photos, they were taken on my phone).
The addition of a poly tunnel (by way of a local authority grant) has further increased the discovery that the children can have of the world of gardening. I have been amazed at how the children and especially the boys, are keen to get involved in the gardening. Again this highlights the need for education on these subjects at this early age. The world would be a far more pleasant place in the future if all children had this type of experience early in their educational lives.
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