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18/10/2023

Eco Schools Newsletter

Welcome to the first edition of the Eco schools newsletter provided by the London Borough of Hounslow. 

Thank you all for signing up to the Eco schools newsletter and for showing an interest in the environmental activities and support available to schools this school year. This term provides a wide range of initiatives and activities for schools to get involved in, including signing up to the Eco Schools programme and engaging with volunteering programmes. 

If you would like to share what your school is doing for the environment to be included in the next newsletters, please do send any information to nimesh.zaveri@hounslow.gov.uk

Register as an Eco School

The Eco School programme is a simple, seven-step framework run by Keep Britain Tidy, making sustainability an integral part of school life. It supports the enrichment of the curriculum and helps unite young people and the wider school community to care more about protecting the environment

Eco School registrations have reopened, so be sure to sign up if not done so already and have your chance at obtaining a green flag accreditation.  

Biodiversity Audits

Sign up for a free biodiversity audit with Bouygues partnered with the University of West London. The audit will include a checklist of biodiversity in school grounds as well as options and support on how to improve biodiversity such as through planting extra trees or creating bug hotels. Places are limited so please let us know if you are interesting by sending an email to Nasrin.Khanom@uwl.ac.uk by the 15th of November 2023

Last year's Green Flags

Congratulations to all those who obtained a green flag. Please see below a case study from Gumley House School who achieved a green flag with distinction in the last school year:

Gumley House School

We asked Juliette Claro, Assistant Headteacher of Gumley House School some questions on their eco school journey and she shared the school’s amazing work contributing to the Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation.

1. Why did Gumley House School enrol in Keep Britain Tidy’s Eco-School Green Flag programme?

The Eco School Award has provided focus and motivation for our young people by providing opportunities to network with companies and charities. The Award allows us to celebrate our ecological work.

2. What were the school activities?

All projects were very much student led, with the support of teachers and dedicated volunteers.

Students attended conferences to learn about Marks & Spencer’s net-zero business strategy. They organised charity sales of recycled clothes three times during the year to raise funds for school’s Eco-School projects.

They also took part in an art project linked with a sustainability work in Royal Holloway, University of London. Students from different year groups created artwork with litters picked up from the Duke of Northumberland River behind the school.

3. How did the programme raise awareness of environmental issues for students?

Students became more aware of the impact of fashion on the environment so that they could make conscious decisions about what they want to buy. They all loved the activities and got really engaged.

We will be sharing many more case studies from schools in future newsletters, so if you would like to share the work that your school or college has been doing, please do send over some information with an image to nimesh.zaveri@hounslow.gov.uk and we will promote it for you. 

National Recycling Week

Hounslow Council is supporting National Recycle Week 2023 (16 – 22 October) and ‘The Big Recycling Hunt’, and is committed to promoting both London-wide and national campaigns that help promote sustainability.

This year’s theme for Recycle Week is ‘missed capture’; the items that can be recycled but are commonly missed in home, including empty aerosols, food tins, plastic cleaning and toiletry bottles, pots, tubs, and trays.

The Council launched its flagship waste and recycling campaign No Time to Waste in March 2023 to support Hounslow residents with recycling more and wasting less.

Hounslow’s No Time to Waste FAQ File is a one-stop shop to support residents with what items can be recycled, where they need to be placed, and what different recycling symbols mean.

Environmental Champions

So far 90 residents have embarked on a journey to clean and green the London Borough of Hounslow. 

Subscribe to our newsletter by emailing environmental.champion@hounslow.gov.uk

Youth Climate Network

Consultation on Proposed Admissions Arrangements for Community Schools for 2025-2026

The London Borough of Hounslow is consulting on their admission arrangements for Community Schools for 2025 -2026.

There are no changes to the admission criteria. However, we have made changes to the layout of the admissions policy to make the information easier to access.

The consultation will run from 2 October 2023 – 19 November 2023.

Comments can be made via

• our online survey here
• email to admissions@hounslow.gov.uk
• in writing to School Admissions Team, London Borough of Hounslow, Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road, Hounslow, TW3 3EB.

View the full details of our consultation and take part in our online survey

The key dates are:

1 October 2023 – 31 January 2024   Consultation period – minimum of 6 weeks not including school holidays

28 February 2024   All admissions arrangements must be determined (formally agreed) by Trust /Governing Body

15 March 2024   2025 -2026 Admission arrangements must be published on your school website and a copy sent to the LA

If you have any queries, please contact Annie Haines via landline at 020 8583 5017 or email: annie.haines@hounslow.gov.uk

Cut your Carbon Month

Cut Your Carbon is Keep Britain Tidy's month-long carbon-cutting challenge. Taking place throughout November 2023, the campaign challenges young people and their families to complete nine simple actions that will reduce their carbon footprint.

Alongside the nine challenges, there are plenty of ways for pupils, their families, and teachers to get involved, including: 

• Virtual talks from leading teachers, authors, and young environmentalists.  
• Social media takeovers and challenges.
• A prize draw for those who enter their results.

Cut Your Carbon is a great way to learn more about the carbon emissions connected to everyday actions and how we can reduce them by making small, manageable changes. With free resources, competitions, online events and social media takeovers, there is plenty to get excited about.