Simon Balle All-through School’s core values include protecting the environment and driving sustainable practices in all that we do. This is done through education of students and staff and leading by example in the way that we run the school.
To help reduce our environmental impact we have:
- Significantly increased the amount of waste that is recycled
- Our caterers work hard to reduce food waste and any food waste is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant to generate renewable electricity
- We also have food composting bins and a wormery which will create manure for our vegetables and ‘worm tea’-which is great for vegetable patches
- The Larch centre was constructed to the latest environmental specifications for to help reduce energy and water consumption
- Approximately 15% of our electrical demand is supplied by a renewable energy supplied photovoltaic panels, also called solar panels.
- To help increase the efficiency of heating of the school, we installed new cladding and replaced roofs, this reduces heat loss.
- We have installed highly energy efficient LED lighting through the school to reduce our electrical demand
- Swimming pools have a high energy demand, and to help reduce this the pool was refurbished and we installed new energy efficient boilers
- To help increase biodiversity we have planted a large area of the school field with wild seed, and we have a bug hotel in the Larch playground
- Students are encouraged to visit the forest school area and there is a gardening club in the Larch
- We want our students to encourage walking to school and we will soon start a walking crocodile each day from the fire station to School
- To encourage sustainable transport, we encourage staff to walk or cycle to school, and are part of the cycle to work scheme to reduce the cost of a new bike for staff.
The above are some of the ways we are protecting the environment and encouraging sustainable practices in all that we do. We know we can do more, and through our Eco club members, staff leadership and strong encouragement from our school Governors, we will continue to do everything we can to reduce our environmental impact.
The core values of Simon Balle are closely interlinked with the environment and sustainability. We Respect the environment by striving to ensure that we take every opportunity to reduce our environmental impact. Our curriculum helps students develop the wisdom and courage to challenge school staff to take environmental action and encourages all staff and students to take responsibility for their actions. Students are given hope and they trust that the school is working hard to make a positive environmental difference. The need for us all to take a compassionate and kind view of the environment is encouraged throughout the school and within the curriculum. Our core values will help ensure that Simon Balle staff and students value our environment.
Simon Balle has now achieved the Eco-School Green Flag award. There are several requirements for the Eco-school Green Flag, these include:
- Forming an Eco-committee
- Developing an action plan
- Setting up an Eco-board
- Involving the school community
Eco-Schools is a global programme engaging 19.5 million children across 67 countries, making it the largest educational programme on the planet.Collectively Eco-schools has made, and will continue to, make a significant positive impact on the environment. We are proud to be recognised as an Eco-school.
The environment and sustainability runs right the way through the curriculum at Simon Balle. As well as being thoroughly embedded within the Geography and Science curriculum, it features in various ways in other subjects such as English and PRE. Our students study the operation of the carbon cycle, the impact of human activity on ecosystems and principles of sustainable development. In addition,they consider ethical arguments around the treatment of animals and the environment, read about dystopian futures and analyse the language used by speakers such as Greta Thunberg. Students in years 7 and 8 will be taking part in a ten week action research project to look at energy and waste around the school site.
The Larch Centre has a small farm. We hope the farm will help our young students to engage with the natural environment and understand how animals are integral to daily life. The farm aligns to several core values, including the development of compassion and kindness to animals, the resilience to help with clearing out chicken poo, and the responsibility to help look after the animals.
