Pupils at Kedington Primary School have been working hard over the last couple of years on it's green credentials and this has now been recognised by the awarding of an Eco Schools Green Flag.Leading the schools efforts to become more environmentally friendly have been the schools Eco Council, a group made up of pupils from all the schools classes. This years council members are Alex Byrom, William Brazier, Joe Milner, Izaak Darvill, Marlise Bush, Riley Brown and Oliver Jay. They are also joined by teacher Mrs. O'Brien.
Speaking to KedingtonNews.co.uk the Eco council explained many of the things that they had done to achieve this award. These include making sure lights and equipment are turned off when not in use and taking action to reduce water wastage like putting Toilet Ducks (not the disinfectant) in the cisterns to reduce the amount of water required to fill them and only half filling water bottles so that they don't have to pour away any at the end of the day. The council have also made sure that all waste in the school that can be recycled is recycled and even persuaded the schools kitchen staff to put lids on cooking pots to keep the heat in so less energy is needed to cook the school dinners. The children aren't just taking on these ideas at school, but taking them home with them making sure their parents turn lights off too.
The school it's self has installed both solar panels and a wood chip burner and children from the school have visited Swaffham Wind Turbine and been on a trip to follow wood chips right from the tree felling to their own boiler.
Other Green Projects Kedington Primary are involved in include The Pod a web site challenging schools across the country to become greener. Kedington is very pleased with it's success on this site as out of 7000 schools registered across the country Kedington is currently Third on the sites medal table and aiming higher.
Kedington Primary is also keeping Green outside as well as in. Children spend time in the garden every week as part of the schools curriculum. Last year their vegetable garden provided a bountiful harvest which were cooked up in the schools own kitchens. The extension to the school to accommodate the extra years the school is taking on will be covering the old site of the school vegetable gardens so last Saturday 14 children and 16 parents and teachers turned up to help move the raised beds to a new site where the schools swimming pool used to be. Despite a constant drizzle the first volunteers turned up at 9am and continued work until just before 2. All the beds have now been moved and will be planted out by the schools garden club (The Diggers & Growers) in the next few weeks.
The Vegetable Garden was not the only area to be worked on. Much work was put in on the schools wildlife area. The hedge, which was begun last November with 30 saplings was added to by a further 30 including Hawthorn, Holly, Hazel, dogwood and Dog Rose. It's likely to be 5 years before it establishes itself properly as a hedge so the children planting on Saturday will have left Kedington Primary long it's fully mature but will know they have left a wonderful legacy to future generations. Also an area of turf was cleared in preparation for wild flowers the pupils plan to plant shortly. Children arriving on the Monday morning were said by Mrs O'Brien who organised the day to be "Delighted".
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It is hoped that the Green Flag will be hoisted up a flag pole erected for it in June when the school is planning an Eco day.
Article by M.P.Upton - 26/3/10
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