Click here for the Eco Schools National Site for more information, resources and registration

FAQ 1 – How does the scheme  work?   
After registration via the eco-schools website  above, there are three first steps:
 ·         form an Eco-Schools action  team
 ·         use the team to conduct an environmental  review 
·         use the review to develop an action  plan.  


Once these are in place you can work towards  gaining one of three awards – Bronze, Silver and the prestigious Green Flag  award.  
Bronze and Silver are both self accredited and  fairly straightforward to achieve. Green Flag is a more rigorous demonstration  of excellence in the field of environmental activity, and is externally  assessed by Keep Britain Tidy.  


Newham currently has two Green Flag schools –St.  Luke’s and New City   


FAQ2 – Isn’t this covered by the Government Sustainable Schools  initiative?   


Eco-Schools is an independent awards programme,  with constant and straightforward topics which are easy to assimilate into the  curriculum and school life. The previous DCSF Sustainable Schools Programme has  been halted under the coalition. There remains a strong commitment from DofE  and Ofsted for schools to be sustainable but the expectation is now on local  leadership with schools using schemes like Eco-Schools to achieve sustainable  whole-school engagement and change.   


FAQ3  – Does Eco-Schools involve lots of extra work and paperwork?   


Very  little,  for two main reasons.  
Firstly, you are probably already doing a lot of  Eco-Schools activity! For example, Healthy Schools work, your School Travel  Plan, and rural/urban linking or international school partnerships are all  directly relevant to Eco-Schools  
Secondly and most  importantly, Eco-Schools is pupil-led. Some staff input and admin support  will be required, but the Action Team is pupil-led, with staff / adult support  but not control.  It is becoming usual for the ‘grown-up’  Eco-Schools lead to be a non-teaching staff member. Many schools report a  positive outcome being improved behaviour of teaching staff, led by the pupil  body!   


FAQ4 – Is there any funding  available?


Short  answer – no. BUT the scheme is completely free, there will inevitably be savings  in energy and procurement costs, and the eco-schools website has a comprehensive  Links and Resources page which does include some grant-funding possibilities