Eco-Schools

Eco-Schools

An important aspect of the Habitat Heroes programme is supporting schools in working towards each level of the internationally recognised 'Eco-Schools' award, managed by Keep Britain Tidy.

Eco-Schools status is a clear indicator of a school's progress along the way towards becoming sustainable, an aspect of the educational system which has become much more prominent recently since the introduction of the government's Sustainable Schools Framework*. This initiative aspires for all schools in the UK to be models of sustainable living by 2020, a target made much more achievable by following the clear guidelines laid out in the Eco-Schools award system.

The Key Areas

Eco-Schools identifies 9 key areas where schools can tackle the subject of sustainability. These are:

• School Grounds
• Biodiversity
• Water
• Waste
• Litter
• Transport
• Energy
• Healthy Living
• Global Dimension

The work that Habitat Heroes carries out within schools directly addresses the issues of School Grounds and Biodiversity. We can also use our background knowledge of the environment to support the school in working on the other key areas.

*Note: Since the change in government in 2011 the Sustainable Schools Framework has been withdrawn. However, Eco-Schools still remains a valuable tool to support those schools already on the path to the Sustainable Schools Framework, and is still officially recognised by OFSTED.