Eco School Update November 2006

Meadow Primary School Eco Code

Our Eco Code at the Meadow School was decided by the whole school community:

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Therefore at the Meadow School we:

· Provide and look after a variety of habitats for wildlife

· Provide and look after a quiet, peaceful garden for children to play in

· Buy recycled items whenever possible

· Save water by installing new efficient toilet cisterns and taps that have a timed flow. We asked everyone to remember to turn off other taps.

· Save energy by installing a new and efficient heating boiler and turning down the thermostat by 1° Turn lights out when not needed. Ensure outside doors are kept closed.

· Reduce waste by encouraging everyone to reduce litter in their lunch boxes, compost some fruit and garden waste and use and recycle paper and cardboard. We have a litter team to clear the school grounds of litter each week.

· Minimise air pollution and climate change by joining the Safer Routes to School Initiative and encourage staff, parents and children to walk, cycle or car share to school.

· In 2006 we became a Healthy School and have learnt to look after ourselves.

The Outdoor Environment:

Within the grounds of the Meadow School we

·       Manage a fenced area called the 'Wildlife Area' here we have provided a variety of habitats for wildlife:

Pond
Bog area
Log pile
Nettle patch
Meadow area
Woodland walk
Vegetable bed
Herb bed
Trees
Bird feeders

·       The Wildlife Area has a management plan and is looked after by members of the Eco committee and the Gardening club.
·       The Wildlife Area provides micro habitats for minibeasts and nesting sites and shelter for larger animals.
·       It provides a rich resource for all the school community and visitors to enjoy and learn in.

Around the perimeter of the school grounds there are many large mature trees, these provide:
·       Shelter for the children. We have planted 13 trees to produce more shaded areas.
·       Cover for nesting birds, and over the last two years the school has put up 7 bird nesting boxes, 1 sparrow roosting box and 1 bat box.
·       Habitats for minibeasts

We have three bird feeding stations around the school. These are filled with bird food when needed throughout the winter and summer months by Yr6 monitors. We take part in the RSPB 'Big School Bird Count' and we have been given A Bird Friendly School certificate for work done with the RSPB in 2005 - 2006. Grasses and plants grown in Claire' Garden provide food for birds in the winter.

In 2006 a Gardening Club was started to look after the Wildlife area and Claire' garden. Each week on a Friday afternoon 8 children from Yr.3 are chosen to work in the garden. Over the year each child will help 3 times in the garden. A volunteer group of adults come to help the children.

Claire's Garden
In 2000 the school took on a huge project of providing a garden where the children could play, socialise and read quietly in. It was to run the whole length of the school and be on reclaimed ground left by the builders.
A competition was held in school for children to design the garden and the winning design was then turned into plans by a parent who was a horticulturalist.
Funding would come from the PTA and parent donations.
Work would be done by parents, friends, PTA, staff and children and it was estimated to take 5 - 6 yrs to complete.
After 5yrs of digging and planting borders , buying seats, making path ways and planting two willow bowers for shade the garden is nearly complete.
Photographs were taken at every stage.