ECO at AFMS

Pupils from across the year groups are given opportunities to strengthen their sense of community spirit by joining the ECO monitors. The pupils show a real drive to  develop their pro-environmental attitudes such as showing an awareness of their school environment and are acting to preserve it. The ECO monitors meet weekly and work as part of a team to grow and maintain a range of fruit, vegetables and flowers.  Pupils get to taste their handiwork with spare produce going to the DT department where staff incorporate it into the meals that the pupils cook, promoting a fresh and healthy diet.

Pupils in KS3 have also had the opportunity to work with STEM partners from industry and academia to discuss solutions to environmental issues such as global food production and the impact on the environment.  They are currently working on a project, funded by the Royal Society, entitled What factors influence the growth of organic fruit and vegetables that will support a more sustainable future?  To do this, we have had the help of our STEM partner, Garden Organic; they have donated seeds from their heritage seed library which the pupils can test the growing conditions of. Pupils have had the opportunity to present their work at the Royal Society in London. The pupils had the chance to develop their presentation skills and enjoyed learning about projects that other schools were running. 

A group of Year 7 pupils have also attended STEM workshops with volunteers from Birmingham University. They explored a method of measuring the amount of pollution in the air, drawing conclusions and analysing their working methods.

The idea of building a sustainable future is a core theme across the Geography curriculum and is also a theme that is interwoven across most subjects within the curriculum such as Science, Design Technology, Art etc.

Whenever suitable opportunities arise, pupils are entered into competitions centred around the environment. These have included the Careers & Enterprise Company’s Greener Towns Competition, which we won in 2022.

Throughout the whole school, paper recycling is central to everyday life. ‘Switch off fortnight’ and ‘fairtrade fortnight’ are also celebrated and pupils participate in various activities within all of these areas. 

 Pupil Quote "Having an Eco club in school is a way to bond with other likeminded people who care for the environment and the school environment in which we can all learn"