It’s great to know that children of St Thomas of Canterbury have high values and care about the environment around us. The children have risen to the challenge of representing the school as the face of our Eco-team.

This year, we have an Eco Warrior team which consists of two representatives elected from each class from Year 1-6. The team will be meeting on a weekly basis to discuss current issues around the school and how they may be addressed.

This academic year we will be looking at how to improve our school in the following nine elements:

Energy, Litter, School grounds, Waste minimisation, Global Perspectives, Biodiversity, Water, Healthy Living and Transport.

St Thomas of Canterbury has been awarded a prestigious Eco-Schools’ Green Flag with a distinction!

This academic year, our children have received international accreditation for their exceptional work in promoting sustainability and raising environmental awareness amongst their peers.

The Eco-Schools programme, established in 1994, is now implemented in over 70 countries worldwide. In 2023-24, more than 1.4 million pupils attended an Eco-School in England.

Our 2023-24 Eco-Committee used Eco-Schools’ tried-and-trusted seven-step framework to create positive change. This committee took responsibility for spearheading their school’s environmental initiatives, with support from Miss Chawner. They first conducted a thorough review of their school environment and curriculum, before developing a year-long plan of action.

Their Action Plan focussed on 3 key issues: biodiversity, marine life and litter, with activities focusing on litter picking, creating recycled art, and applying for trees to boost homes for nature. These activities were thoughtfully selected to increase environmental awareness, bolster their school’s sustainability, and make meaningful contributions to global conservation efforts.

Speaking about their achievements, Emmie (10) says, ‘I loved being an eco-warrior because we got to look after the environment. We enjoyed working with Medway council to learn about where rubbish goes and how we can support nature by recycling’.

Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, states: ‘The Eco-Schools’ Green Flag is an international benchmark that demonstrates a commitment to fighting climate change and high standard of sustainable practice. Students and staff who earn this award deserve recognition for their dedication toward protecting our planet. Every day, they demonstrate that each of us can contribute to making our planet a better, more sustainable, place.’

We are incredibly proud of our children’s efforts to be stewards of the Earth and we look forward to displaying our green flag with pride!