Little Lancing joins Eco-Schools Green Flag Initiative
Our Pre-School children are exploring environmental issues
Eco–Schools Green Flag Scheme
As our parents know, Little Lancing is firmly committed to reducing the use of single use plastic in our nursery and wherever possible and practical, we provide toys and nursery equipment that are made from natural materials and resources. It is important to us too to create a vibrant learning environment where our children begin to explore ‘green’ issues.
So when we found out about Eco-Schools, it seemed an ideal way to introduce these complex ideas to our Pre-School children. Eco–Schools is a worldwide initiative to raise children’s awareness of environmental issues. It helps them learn about the impact of our carbon footprint and come up with actions they can take to reduce it. It offers a specially tailored programme for Early Years settings too, so we successfully applied for funding to establish this at Little Lancing.
At nursery, we have set up our Pre-School Eco Committee. The children have been exploring areas such as biodiversity, energy, waste and water. They have identified the areas they believe to be the most important to make our nursery more sustainable. This initiative has captured the imagination of the children and they are working with staff on a plan of practical actions to carry out their aims. We have, for example, been growing seeds and planting vegetables and are planning to devise a way of composting food waste at nursery. More is to come!
We are reporting regularly back on our activities to Eco–Schools as we work towards achieving firstly a bronze award, followed by a silver award. Our ultimate aim is to gain Green Flag status for the nursery.
The enthusiasm and energy shown by our Pre-Schoolers for these projects have been wonderful to see and we hope that as they prepare over the summer to leave us for their Reception classes in September, they carry with them all they have learnt in this vital area of citizenship.
Find out more about Eco-Schools for Early Years settings on their website