The EkoSkola Programme The 7 Steps

Eco Code Environmental Review Action Plan Eco Schools Committee Informing & Involving Monitoring & Evaluation Curriculum Work

EkoSkola Committee The committee is the core of the EkoSkola process, responsible for organising and directing activities. Consisting of the stakeholders of the school community (pupils, teachers, cleaners, caretakers, parents and governors), the committee is democratic and run by the students themselves. Whatever the type of school or age group, student involvement in the committee is essential.

Environmental Review Work begins with an environmental audit of the environmental impact of the school with the aim of identifying issues for action. Pupils are involved in this work ranging from assessing the level of litter on school grounds to checking the building for inefficiencies such as leaky taps or electric equipment left overnight.

Target Areas for Environmental Review Energy Water Litter Consumer patterns Waste management Paper usage Vandalism Biodiversity Animal rights Climate change Nutrition patterns Healthy lifestyles Transport Road safety Landscaping Buildings Cultural heritage Leisure facilities Citizenship Globalisation The composition of the WG wanted to reflect the various stakeholders in the debate … this was achieved through a series of co-options

Environmental Review Results

Environmental Review Results

Action Plan The information from the environmental review is used to identify priorities and create an action plan The Action Plan sets realistic targets and deadlines to improve environmental performance on specific issues. Schools should aim to achieve >75% of the results of their stated action plan.

Action Plan (an example)

Monitoring & Evaluation Ensures that progress towards targets and any necessary changes to the action plan are made and that achievement is recognised. It also ensures that environmental education is an on-going process in the school.

Curriculum Work Classroom study of themes such as energy, water and waste are undertaken by most students. The whole school should be involved in practical initiatives … e.g. saving water, recycling materials and preventing litter. Where environmental education is not part of the national curriculum, recommendations are made as to how these themes can be incorporated.

Informing & Involving Schools are encouraged to interact with the wider community when preparing action plans. As local authorities, businesses and the wider community are involved, Local Agenda 21 is brought directly into schools. An awareness raising programme keeps the school and community informed of progress through classroom displays, school assemblies and press coverage.

Outreaching process EkoSkola families EkoSkola EkoSkola Committee Local community EkoSkola families EkoSkola EkoSkola Committee

Active EkoSkola notice board

Exhibitions of students’ work

Addressing the whole school about EkoSkola related issues during school assemblies

EkoSkola featured in school’s main calendar events (e. g EkoSkola featured in school’s main calendar events (e.g. parents’ day, prize days)

Articles in the local press

Involvement of local authorities … … and local businesses

Participation at parliament

Eco-Code Each school produces its own code setting out what the students are striving to achieve. The Eco-Code is displayed in various places within the school and is recognised by the students as a statement of beliefs and intents.

The Awards A school that implements the seven steps of the programme can apply for one of the three EkoSkola awards: a bronze certificate, a silver certificate or a Green Flag … depending on how much it has achieved. The Green Flag award is renewed every two years.

Basic qualification criteria The school needs to demonstrate that it has: applied the 7 steps of the EkoSkola process. achieved and given evidence that at least 2/3 of the objectives in the Action Plan were achieved. used an active communication strategy, to inform the whole school community of its activities. It should not be a programme for the EkoSkola Committee only. involved in some capacity the Local Authority(ies) – a required element of Local Agenda 21. addressed the core EkoSkola themes (i.e. Water, Energy and Waste … and now Climate Change and Carbon Footprint). school established networking links or contacts with local and foreign Eco-Schools