COLCOT Primary School pupils and staff are celebrating, after earning the Eco-Schools Green Flag.

This prestigious award, which is recognised throughout Europe, is given out when pupils and staff show a commitment to a variety of important global and ecological issues.

Colcot pupils from all year groups have conducted class projects into subjects such as: Climate Change; Conserving Energy; Recycling and minimising waste; Sustainable Development; Fair Trade; Developing Countries; Global Citizenship, Healthy Living; Growing Food and Endangered species.

They have also all been working on changing their daily habits, to improve their own health and the health of the planet.

The school’s eco-council, made up of class representatives aged six to 11, has ensured that pupils take key roles in decision-making in order to reduce the environmental impact of the school, and all classrooms have been recycling their cardboard, paper and plastic.

One decision, which has been supported by parents, is that children only bring in healthy snacks at playtime, such as fruit or vegetables.

And the staff have not escaped the scrutiny of the eco-council members – who have made sure that teachers are following the rules by turning off lights and other unused electrical equipment when classrooms are not in use, and recycling their staffroom waste.

Not content to rest on their laurels, the newly elected eco-council intends to build upon its success and has the following aims: 1. To maintain the school’s Fairtrade status. A Fairtrade tea party for parents is coming soon.

2. To save water around the school. Plenty of water is falling at the moment, but how can we best conserve it for the future in our ever-changing climate?

3. Each class will adopt its own endangered species via the World Wildlife Fund.