During the last academic year (2024–2025), pupils at St Lawrence CE Primary School, Alton, have taken the lead in promoting sustainability and raising environmental awareness across their school community — including peers, staff, and the wider local area. Their outstanding efforts have now been recognised with the prestigious and internationally renowned Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation.
The Eco-Schools programme, established in 1994, has been inspiring young environmentalists for over 30 years. It has since grown into a global movement, with Green Flag accreditation awarded to schools in more than 100 countries. In England alone, the programme reaches over 1 million young people each year, empowering them to make a positive impact on the planet.
At St Lawrence, a pupil-led Eco-Committee, supported by Mrs Brown and Mrs Parks, embraced the Eco-Schools’ trusted seven-step framework to drive meaningful environmental action and further the school’s sustainability journey. They began by reviewing the school environment and curriculum from an ecological perspective, before creating a detailed year-long Action Plan focused on three key areas: promoting biodiversity, reducing litter, and improving the school grounds.
To address these priorities, the Eco-Committee launched a variety of initiatives. Pupils took part in the RSPB’s Big School Birdwatch and developed links with the wider community, including St Lawrence Eco Church and local organisations. A generous grant from Resurrection Furniture helped fund resources for outdoor learning.
Cathy from the Alton Natural Society met with the team, offering valuable advice on increasing biodiversity in the school’s Spiritual Garden. She also kindly donated £100 to support future eco-projects.
Children in Key Stage 2, alongside the school’s Global Ambassadors, attended a meeting of the Alton Climate Action Network (ACAN) at Alton College. They later shared what they had learned about waste reduction with the rest of the school and joined a community litter pick at Anstey Park.
Each year group also planted a herb, and the Eco Team has been actively maintaining the Spiritual Garden — tasks have included filling the bird bath, watering plants, and collecting materials for the new compost bin.
The children have also been enjoying greater use of the outdoor grounds, including for collective worship. The space has been transformed to support outdoor learning, now featuring enough benches to accommodate a whole class and a large chalkboard, enhancing both teaching and engagement in a natural environment.
Feedback from the Eco-Schools Team:
“Your greatest success was transforming the Spiritual Garden into a calming eco-space, providing pupils with meaningful opportunities to deepen their connection with nature and promoting long-term positive impacts on biodiversity and sustainable eco-practices. Well done!”
“We loved how your school developed a partnership with St Lawrence Eco Church to create impactful biodiversity projects, such as building a hedgehog home with the help of the Men’s Shed. This gave pupils a hands-on connection to their local environment and inspired ongoing stewardship.”
“It was fantastic how the whole school was involved in planting sunflowers and herbs, encouraging every pupil to take responsibility for biodiversity care. This cultivates a culture of ownership and pride that supports long-term environmental impact. We also enjoyed hearing about your innovative ‘Bin-It Brigade’ and community litter-picking efforts, which brought together families and provided practical lessons in eco-litter management, empowering pupils to make positive changes both at school and at home.”
Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, expressed: “Every year, we are amazed by the incredible efforts of young people working together to create a better future for all. Their collective impact is truly remarkable. If everyone approached the climate crisis with the same level of passion and determination, we could resolve it much faster and make it a problem of the past. At Keep Britain Tidy, we are delighted to recognise their achievements with the Eco-Schools Green Flag.”
To learn more about the Eco-Schools programme and Green Flag accreditation, visit www.eco-schools.org.uk.
