Green Schools

GOING GREEN IN SETTLE SCHOOLS
The Going Green team recently held a Forum with local schools to see what initiatives were currently under way and to see how we could work together to spread the Going Green message through schools to parents and guardians.
There are lots of projects currently underway and some exciting joint projects were discussed that we hope to begin working on pretty soon. Watch this space!
Here's what schools are currently involved in:

Settle Middle School
Have joined Eco-Schools Programme (www.ecoschools.org.uk) – a group of schools working towards education for sustainable development and a better quality of life for local and global communities. Aiming to get a ‘Green’ group together to work towards a Bronze Award (then Silver). Eco-Schools is open to all schools.
Had a definite input into StART / Riverside Project. Children did a lot of work – the involvement encouraged them to become more interested in making Settle a greener & tidier place.
Have a conservation area, including a pond. Some work has been done and more still to be done.

Giggleswick School
Recently completed a £1.5m new-build Sports Hall - entirely heated by a water source heat pump.
Other “green” innovations incorporated into the actual build - lighting in changing room on movement sensors, high level of thermal properties, natural ventilation and local contractors used wherever possible.
Eco-grid in car park – water percolates through to natural drainage.
Teachers and pupils starting up a Green group – one wish is to get the word through to remainder of school about saving power.
Currently carry out a lot of recycling – but problems can arise in how to dispose of it.

Settle College
“Spread the word” in assembly, on the intranet and to support staff about conserving energy.
Carried out a site survey and have the potential to easily save £10,000 - £15,000 per year on energy costs.
Looked into having a wind turbine/funding – but insufficient wind in the location.

Ingleton Middle School
Ceilings lowered some years ago by a metre – which saved a considerable amount of heating costs.
Lots of trees were planted.
Taps changed to push-button ones some time ago – saves water.
Created a wildlife area.

Settle Primary School
Green issues featured on curriculum
Recycle paper
Gardening Club
Environmental improvements – planting trees & shrubs
Recycling & energy saving activities

Horton-in-Ribblesdale Primary
Have a policy of RRR wherever possible – reduce, recycle, re-use.
Have 3 blue recycling bins and smaller paper-recycling bins in all classrooms. Recycle foil and stamps and cans.
Going to start growing own organic vegetables.
Have turned heating down by 2 degrees.
Looking at lighting situation – getting movement sensors installed.
Looking into lowering the ceiling height in the Hall.
Are part of the group who planted trees near Settle Roundabout.
Are part of a Sustainable Food programme – looking at carbon footprint of food / eating local. Visited planned to ‘Growing with Grace’.

Hellifield Primary School
Green issues / activities featured in curriculum.

Recycle paper
Recycle fruit waste.

Austwick Primary School

Compost all garden waste
Compost all kitchen & fruit waste.
Re-cycling bins in all rooms for paper (paper taken to Settle Pool weekly)
Re-cycle all glass in local Austwick collection bins.
Jam/pickles making using second-use jars
Gardening Club during one lunch time per week

Achievements award School Waste Action Club (SWAC). SWAC leader worked on ‘green’ audit with pupils
Pupils involved in litter picking within the village.
Bird feeding tables installed in school field.

Clapham Primary School
KS1 created vegetable garden and won 2nd prize in Skipton B.Society competition for Report / Project.
Strong link with local organic farm ‘Growing with Grace’ e.g. visits, pupils growing produce there, purchase extra fruit for pupils from there, project work on organic fruit and veg.
Link with Millenium Trust based in Clapham – have been involved in linking school projects and tree planting with them.
Part of Sustainable Food Schools Linking Project (through Bradford University / Sally Tottle) with Saltaire & Giggleswick Primary Schools – involves visits, events, workshops, training and pupils making penpal links based on environmental / food / sustainability themes.
Just started this term – lots of plans!
Introduced recycling of all paper waste.
Developing recycling of food waste – fruit / veg for composting.
Plan to establish a wormery for this.

If your school would like to be involved, or you would like to make a comment, please get in touch by email: schools@greensettle.org.uk

ECO SCHOOLS
A useful source of information and inspiration can be found at the Eco Schools web site. more...

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