Ethical, Informed Citizens of Wales and the world

Kiri Howell, KWT Eco-Schools Officer, Pembrokeshire.

Donaldson and Eco-Schools This highlights the new curriculum. Use the full document in the pdf to underline how well Eco-Schools fits with all of the points in Ethical, informed citizens + a number of points from the other areas. Using Eco-Schools now will help to deliver the new curriculum in the future.

The largest & Oldest Environmental Education Programme in the World! When’s the best 2 time to plant a tree? 20 years ago and today! Discuss habitat and play

Foundation for Environmental Education FEE Doesn’t have to be a huge patch – planters – discuss loss of pollinators.

The Eco-Schools Awards The Flow of Flags Bronze Silver Re Award (every 2 yrs) Green Flag Platinum Status (4th Flag) Registration Keep it wild, don’t over formalise areas. Neat and tidy doesn’t mean good for wildlife, ‘messy’ isn’t a problem. Change doesn’t have to cost. Change in management/minibeasts/compost heaps. Curriculum links easy and diverse – Science – composting rates. DT – design a minibeast hotel. Art Trails.

Eco-Committee

Eco-Schools Process Eco-Committee Linking to the Curriculum Informing and Involving Environmental Review Monitoring and Evaluation Action Plan Eco-Code Eco-Committee Ponds can be safe and low cost. Provide a unique habitat. Even simple additions leaf piles, stone piles, carpet, corrugated metal can welcome surprising visitors. Emphasis on waste materials.

Your Environmental Review needs to... Be led by the pupils Be shared with the whole school Be completed yearly Cover all 9 topic areas

Environmental Review Litter Waste Energy Water Health, Well being and Food Transport Global citizenship School Grounds Biodiversity

ESDGC themes/Eco-Schools Themes Litter Waste Energy Water Healthy, well being and food Transport Global citizenship School Grounds Biodiversity ‘A Common Understanding for Schools’ As you can see there is a lot of crossover between ESDGC themes and Eco-schools topics. The outcome of the learning is that through these starting points students will come to an awareness of their values and perceptions, the interdependence of natural systems and the need for precautionary principles in the way we live and plan for the future. – in other words the key concepts of ESDGC. 17

An Environmental Review… Provides baseline data for monitoring Acts as a stimulus for developing action plans/points Can be used yearly to monitor progress (keep all annual copies!) Can be a method for involving the whole school…

Action Plan Actions come from: SMART targets THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW Previous action plans Input from members of school community SMART targets

Your Action Plan Should.... Be developed by the pupils/using pupil generated targets Be completed annually (or termly if preferred) Be informed by the ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, ongoing targets and whole school ideas Be a working document Use SMART targets to reflect the bigger picture and plan how you will measure the impact. Be shared with the whole school.

Measuring Success and Evaluation Monitoring is not: ‘Is the action plan target being done?’ Monitoring is: ‘What difference are we making by carrying out this action?’ This will enable us to measure our progress, evaluate the success of our activities and plan any necessary changes: Data, Stats., Story …… THEN Pictures. Quantitative & Qualitative. Explanation of monitoring and it’s importance...... This will lead a few slides along to completing an action plan and how they will monitor.....

Activity Using your Action Plan: Highlight two actions that could be managed by a class that have relevant links to the Cross Curricular Responsibilities and the Six Areas of Learning and Experience. Discuss all the possible and potential links to curriculum based work and any barriers that may be encountered…… After completing the activity and sharing back ideas from each group, invite participants to share any other ideas that they have for linking aspects of the Eco-Schools programme to key skills and the LNF. Record ideas on flipchart. More practical curriculum activities will be explored after lunch.

Cross-curricular Responsibilities:

Areas of Learning and Experience:

All our children and young people will be: Ethical, Informed Citizens who: Find, evaluate and use evidence in forming views - Action Plan, Monitoring Engage with contemporary issues based upon their knowledge and values – all 9 topics Understand and exercise their human and democratic responsibilities and rights - Eco Committee Understand and consider the impact of their actions when making choices and acting - Eco Committee, Action Plan, Monitoring Are knowledgeable about their culture, community, society and the world, now and in the past – Humanities topic Respect the needs and rights of others, as a member of a diverse society - Eco Committee, ESDGC topic Show their commitment to the sustainability of the planet and are ready to be citizens of Wales and the world.

Summary

Useful Links Eco-Schools Wales www.keepwalestidy.org/eco-schools @Eco-Schools Pembs. Kiri Howell kiri.howell@keepwalestidy.cymru 07944229785 www.globalgoals.org www.fee.global Put Habitat creation in context. We hear a lot about world habitat loss and think about it a lot through curriculum time (Rainforests in particular). We don’t think about the U.K. context as much – without habitats we don’t have diversity of species. The massive change in Britain is down to modern agriculture, industry and urbanisation. Ponds can be a safe and simple addition to school grounds.