Agenda
a different, cheaper and more planet-friendly approach. We’re hoping to start collecting fancy dress donations as a resource for dress-up days, as it’s something we already do for nativity costumes. Later this year, we’re holding a
comedy night at an external venue, and we’ve already checked that it has a similar policy to us with regards to glass, plastic and recycling. These conversations are becoming easier because of the way people’s views on protecting the planet are altering. We’re currently trying to tackle
car engine idling outside the school. We’ve asked for ideas on our Facebook page, which has led to some excellent community engagement. The children are going to create signs displaying phrases such as ‘young lungs at work’. We hope this will raise awareness of pollution and the danger to the kids as well as the environment. We’re also looking into producing a board to suggest different things parents could do while they wait, such as exercising or exploring the local area.
Getting involved Nothing we do is without the kids’
involvement. They’re critical to making our projects work. If they didn’t take the messages home, bring in items we request and take part in activities, nothing would happen. We have an eco council made up of an inspirational group of children
‘It’s about making the school cleaner, reducing waste and caring for one another’
of all ages. Their primary focus is tackling waste and overconsumption of resources. They work creatively and tirelessly to come up with effective campaigns that make a difference. Recently, they have been focusing on tackling litter at school and eliminating single-use plastic on school trips.
The other benefits There are different aspects worth
considering when we’re talking about being green. It might be protecting health, reducing waste or helping wildlife. You don’t always have to lead with the green message; it can be easier to win supporters round if they can see other benefits. I had a discussion with the deputy
head about why we were making these changes and what the main elements were, and money didn’t even come into it. Instead, we agreed it was about making the school cleaner, reducing waste and caring for one another. We do save money from the changes we’ve made, but that’s not the most critical part. People can miss the point if it’s always about money.
Beyond the school Our work is always about the bigger
picture, and bringing others into our school is part of that. In spring, Elmbridge council planted 60 trees with the children. We’re also working with Ashley Primary School in Walton to recycle through Terracycle – we send them our crisp packets, and they send us their pens. We recently built bug hotels in our
forest school with help from the children, using palettes and some spare roof tiles and roof felt from houses in the village. Doing this meant we were able to aid wildlife, help the community get rid of waste
and organise an educating and engaging activity with the children. Our school apiary is located on our
school field, where the children can visit and learn about the ‘Burhill Bees’. We have two volunteer beekeepers who look after the hives all year round, and last year we extracted around 27kg of saleable honey, which we sold through the school office and local delicatessen. This year’s summer fair is going
to be our first public event that’s entirely eco-friendly. It will still be about fun, fundraising and family, but we’re going to incorporate elements such as storytelling in the forest school and meeting the bees in our school apiary. We’ll also hire glasses and offer recycling points, as well as a discount for those who bring their own travel cups.
How far we’ve come It took two years for us to get to
where we are. We’ve had the odd mishap, but once we got the juices flowing and our confidence grew, everything fell into place. Getting everyone on board can
be challenging, but as long as you’re coming from a well-meaning place, people can at least see that you’re trying. We always welcome feedback and like to be positive, which has made our parent community more open to change. We’re planning a Green Day in
June, which we hope to make an annual event. We’ll celebrate our achievements, such as how many bottles we’ve saved and how much we’ve recycled. The community hasn’t seen the whole picture yet, and this will help to show them the full impact of our project. When it comes to being green,
people often think about only specific things, but with 600 children to bear in mind, we have to look at the bigger picture.
PTA+ online
Read more about the Burhill school apiary at
pta.co.uk/ events/ideas-and-advice/ sustainable-events
pta.co.uk SUMMER 2020 11
BUG HOTEL: VITASTORIES IMAGES: MACROVECTOR; NATALIA DARMOROZ/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
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