Private School News

Green Awards help children grow Staines Preparatory School wins Gold for Middlesex

Staines Preparatory School, in Staines, Middlesex has been awarded their gold award by the Woodland Trust for getting involved in green activities including tree planting, reducing carbon emissions and recycling.

The new initiative launched this year by the Woodland Trust offers schools the opportunity to bring the great outdoors, the wonderful world of wildlife and green issues into the classroom with a range of resources and a new award scheme.

The Green Tree Schools Award scheme rewards schools every time they participate in inspirational learning events, projects or initiatives provided by the Woodland Trust. Schools win this award for participating in green activities, which include tree planting, reducing carbon emissions and recycling. Staines Preparatory School has planted new trees in their school grounds and the children have grown trees from seeds, as well as recycling Christmas cards, visiting a woodland, reducing their carbon emissions and joining in various other Woodland Trust activities.

Karen Letten, schools development officer, said: “The scheme promotes a range of opportunities, each designed to stimulate a child’s imagination and sustain their interest in nature. The achievements of the school are recognised through an awards scheme in which they receive points for taking part in activities. As they reach milestones within the project they will receive bronze, silver and finally an attractive wooden plaque which acknowledges they’ve achieved the environmental accolade of a gold award.”

Staines Prep science teacher Derek Heath said “we are very grateful to the Woodland Trust for their support and would recommend their excellent website to all who are interested in teaching children about woodland habitats. It is great to see the children actively involved in a project which will go on growing for many decades to come and to see their pride in being given a gold award for their efforts”.
To take part schools simply register at www.naturedetectives.org.uk/award and can start earning points immediately. These are a few of the many different ways to do this:

• Participate in a tree planting event
• Receive free trees for your school grounds
• Recycle Christmas cards, mobile phones or inkjet cartridges with the Woodland Trust
• Reduce CO2 emissions
• Register with Nature Detectives
• Join the Ancient Tree Hunt

Karen continues: “This is pick ‘n’ mix conservation. Teachers and children choose from a range of activities to suit their interest and priorities at any given moment.

“Schools embark on a real journey of discovery with us and, along the way, will also be working toward achieving other recognised environmental awards such as Eco Schools.”

The Woodland Trust’s learning team provides a range of resources for both primary and secondary schools. Most activities are available free of charge and further details can be found at www.naturedetectives.org.uk