Eco Ambassadors
The Priory Learning Trust are passionate about creating a more sustainable environment for our pupils and their future.
Our staff and pupils at The Huntspill Primary School Academies have taken on this ambition and are continually working hard to seek out and implement new and environmentally-friendly solutions.
GREEN INITIATIVES IN ACTION
2024-2025 school year
We are really excited to start our new school year with our Eco news and how we achieved our Eco Schools green flag award for the Third year.
Did you know TPLT and Aspens have joined Olio?
Our delivered services will be joining in with our main school kitchens across TPLT, helping to redistribute our uneaten food. Not only does this prevent food waste it also helps to support our local communities.
Since joining Olio 2 weeks ago our TPLT schools have helped donate 95 free meals, feeding 18 households in our local communities. If you would like to join Olio, either as a user or as a volunteer visit https://olioapp.com or download the app.
PUPIL ENGAGEMENT
- Eco -Clubs continue across our schools to provide extra-curricular activities for pupils passionate about creating a greener more sustainable future.
- A group of pupils continue to plant vegatable beds to provide healthy snacks for pupils at breaktime.
- Each school runs an Explorer After School Club, which enables pupils to enjoy a Forest School experience.
BIO DIVERSITY
- Our caretaker continues to use Aspens 2 & Aspens 4 Fuel in machinery, which is an ethanol-free alkylate petrol that consists of 10% renewable content, extracted from residual waste from the forest and food industry. This reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 8%.
- The schools use JaLee for our staff First Aid Training. For every course we book through JaLee, they have planted a tree in partnership with reforestation projects around the globe. By choosing JaLee we have participated in collective action to make a difference.
REDUCING WASTE
- Reducing paper and printing usage further– actively monitoring usage and committing to reducing unnecessary use.
ENERGY SAVING
- The schools continue to monitor our energy use more efficiently with Energy Sparks.
Watch this space to keep up to date with all things The Huntspills and Eco!
2023-2024 school year
PUPIL ENGAGEMENT
- Eco -Clubs set up across site to provide extra-curricular activities for pupils passionate about creating a greener more sustainable future.
- Conifer and Willow Class visited Carymoor Environmental Trust.
- Our Schools took part in collecting used sweet/biscuit tubs in the local Tubs2Pubs scheme that recycle the tubs.
- A group of pupils are planting vegatable beds to provide healthy snacks for pupils at breaktime.
- Each school runs an Explorer After School Club, which enables pupils to enjoy a Forest School experience.
- In Explorer Club, pupils have made bird feeders and Hedgehog hotels in our garden areas.
- Eco Clubs have declared a Climate Emergency Declaration, please see our declaration below.
BIO DIVERSITY
- Trees and bushes donated by the Woodland Trust have been planted around the site to encourage local wildlife and increase biodiversity.
- Signed up for Surfers Against Sewage
- East Huntspill School were successful in receiving a Grant from Somerset Gardens Trust to enable us to build and provide sensory and polinator gardens on our school grounds. These gardens will also include bug hotels.
- Pupils have planted various vegetables, including strawberries, runner beans and strawberries that pupil's will be able to enjoy as part of their breaktime snacks.
- Our caretaker uses Aspens 2 & Aspens 4 Fuel in machinery, which is an ethanol-free alkylate petrol that consists of 10% renewable content, extracted from residual waste from the forest and food industry. This reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 8%.
- Wain Homes volunteered at East Huntspill School to enhance our outdoor area.
- Explorers Club have made bird boxes that will sit amongst our trees on site.
REDUCING WASTE
- Preloved clothing continues to grow – incorporating theme days such as Christmas jumper day and world book day clothing swaps.
- Carymoor Environmental Trust delivered a 'Schools Against Waste' assembly and workshops in school.
- We took part in the Big Plastic Count in March 2024.
- Reducing paper and printing usage further– actively monitoring usage and committing to reducing unnecessary use.
- Taking part in 'Shoes for Kenya' - inviting pupils to donate their used school shoes to Jolaurabi School in Kenya for pupils to wear.
ENERGY SAVING
- Layer up, Power Down days were held in November 2023 and February 2024. By wrapping up warm, we were able to reduce our energy for the day.
- We have changed our lights to LED lighting, consuming up to 65% less power than equivalent flourescent tupes, resulting in a significant decrease in energy costs.
- The schools continue to monitor our energy use more efficiently with Energy Sparks.
- External LED lighting now installed across both sites.
- Older fridges and microwaves replaced for newer energy efficient models.
- The schools took part in the 'Big Switch off Weekend' and reduced our energy over the weekend.
- West Huntspill School are the winners of this year's Energy Sparks National Scoreboard with a total of 3,900 points! WOW! Well done to our Eco Club and staff who have worked hard this year, saving energy, reducing our carbon footprint and being Eco Warriors!
Please see our Good News Post celebrating this success.
2022-23 school year
PUPIL ENGAGEMENT
- Eco -Clubs set up across site to provide extra-curricular activities for pupils passionate about creating a greener more sustainable future.
- Joined Energy Sparks Educational setting website to compare and monitor energy usage, find and implement practical solutions to reduce energy costs.
- Taking part in Keep Britain Tidy – The Big Clean 2023. Every class will take part in collecting rubbish and waste in our local community.
- Year Parliament Leaders received training from Energy Sparks how we can reduce our carbon footprint.
BIO DIVERSITY
- Trees and bushes donated by the Woodland Trust have been planted around the site to encourage local wildlife and increase biodiversity.
- Ash and Hawthorn Classes visited Maundrils Farm in West Huntspill as part of their learning theme 'What grows near me?' Children were taught how to look after our environment.
REDUCING WASTE
- Preloved clothing continues to grow – incorporating theme days such as Christmas jumper day and world book day clothing swaps.
- Compost bin for fruit and garden waste.
- Reduce paper and printing usage – actively monitoring usage and committing to reducing unnecessary use.
- Taking part in 'Shoes for Kenya' - inviting pupils to donate their used school shoes to Jolaurabi School in Kenya for pupils to wear.
ENERGY SAVING
- Cedar class bottled gas heating has now been replaced with air conditioning fan heating.
- Layer up, Power Down week in March - Eco Club requested we turn off our heating and Layer up.
- The school signed up with Energy Sparks so that we are able to monitor our energy use more efficiently.
- Both schools enjoyed an Energy Sparks assembly talking about our energy usage and how we can help fight climate change.
- East Huntspill had air conditioning units installed throughout to encourage lower energy usage.
2021-2022 school year
PUPIL ENGAGEMENT
- Eco-school committee set up within our school parliament group to focus on our green initiatives and identify areas of improvement.
- Gardening club set up to provide extra – curricular activities aimed at encouraging a love of our environment and the natural world around us. Took part in Keep Britain Tidy – The Big Clean 2022. Every class took part in collecting rubbish and waste in our local community.
- Sustainability and eco section added to our parent newsletter for families to encourage a culture across the local community.
BIO DIVERSITY
- Trees and bushes donated by the Woodland Trust have been planted around the site to encourage local wildlife and increase biodiversity.
- Pond filled and area cleared to create a natural Forest School Area.
REDUCING WASTE
- Reduce plastic waste - Under 5’s free milk individual bottles have been replaced.
- Increasing recycling – more bins added around site to increase recycling across the school.
- Food waste is collected separately and disposed off correctly.
- Preloved uniform sales.
ENERGY SAVING
- Utilities tracker used to compare monthly energy use.
- Water butts installed at each site to collect rain water.
- Water saving audits and recommended actions implemented to reduce our usage.
ECO SCHOOLS GREEN FLAG AWARD
In July 2022 we were proud to receive the eco-schools Green Flag award.
This was a great recognition of all the great work that has taken place at our sites and our ongoing commitment to Sustainability.
Students and staff were thrilled to receive our Eco Schools award again for all of our great sustainability and Green work over the past year.
