Eco- Award

A Coventry school has received international recognition for its commitment to raising awareness of climate change and the environment.

Pupils and staff at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, part of the Romero Catholic Academy, are celebrating earning an Eco-Schools Green Flag Award after launching a series of eco-awareness projects.

The school picked up the Green Flag Award with Distinction, which is awarded to organisations who go beyond the core Eco-Schools criteria.

Cardinal Wiseman’s Eco-Committee was praised by judges for its tree planting initiatives to increase biodiversity, including the creation of ‘Wiseman Wood’, which is made up of almost 400 trees with many more still to be planted, that will serve as a nature reserve and an outdoor learning space for generations of pupils and encourage birds and insects to pass through the school.

The award also recognised the Romero Eco Days, which are supported by the Eco-Committee and have so far been hosted at three schools across the academy to educate primary and secondary pupils about the environment through interactive outdoor activities with the support of Jonathan Ensell of horticulture training provider Roots to Fruit Midlands.

The school, in partnership with Roots to Fruit Midlands, has also created a Level 1 Practical Horticulture Skills course which will be jointly delivered by Patricia Blaney to groups of pupils who will benefit from this excellent vocational qualification.

The Eco-Schools programme was established in 1994 and is now delivered in more than 70 countries across the globe.

James Elkins, Science Teacher and Eco-Coordinator at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, said: “It has been an incredible journey from carrying out our initial research and creating an action plan to deliver some fantastic projects with so many young people – and all pupils who have been involved should be very proud of this achievement.

“Our Eco-Committee has laid the groundwork for us to continue raising eco-awareness not just in our school, but across the Romero Catholic Academy, and that is already in resulting in real, positive changes in our schools to help protect the environment.”

Matthew Everett, Principal at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, said: “Our staff and pupils have been inspired by the ideas and aims of the Romero Eco Conferences, which are led by pupils across all Romero schools to make sure that we are building a sustainable and green future for our local communities and parishes for generations to come.”

Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said: “The Eco-Schools Green Flag award is an internationally recognised symbol of high environmental standards.

“The pupils and school staff deserve immense credit for their hard work, determination, and creativity. Their passion for protecting our planet is an inspiration to us all.”

To learn more about Eco-Schools head to www.eco-schools.org.uk