Environmental Activities

Developing an Environmentally Conscious Community at East Sheen Primary School

At East Sheen Primary School, we are committed to fostering an environmentally intelligent community. To achieve this, we’ve woven environmental awareness throughout our curriculum, sparking discussion, debate, and critical thinking about the pressing challenges our planet faces. Using our “green hat” thinking, we explore innovative solutions to environmental issues and encourage our students to think creatively about their role in making a positive impact.

We are delighted to introduce our new and remarkable Green Team for this academic year! The team is made up of representatives from every class, from Year 2 to Year 6, all elected by their peers. This eager group meets regularly with the Environmental Leader to discuss eco-friendly initiatives, share updates on sustainability efforts, and run exciting eco-competitions.

Some of our Green Team members have already delivered an inspiring presentation on “How to Keep Our School Green” to both KS1 and KS2 assemblies.

At East Sheen Primary, we are proud to actively promote recycling. Our school recycles cans, plastics, glass, paper, and even old whiteboard pens and glue sticks! Every week, the whole school joins together to enhance our grounds through collective environmental efforts.

Our Green Team, alongside enthusiastic volunteers, ensures that everyone—students and staff alike—follows our mantra: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Volunteers also help maintain recycling bins and use litter pickers to keep our school grounds spotless and welcoming.

We are also thrilled to have secured an impressive allotment space on Hertford Avenue. This wonderful addition allows children to plan, plant, nurture, and harvest a variety of seasonal vegetables and plants. The outdoor space has quickly become a valued part of school life—providing opportunities not only for gardening but also for wellbeing activities such as painting, reading, and even building bug hotels!

Looking ahead, we aim to deepen the environmental thread across our curriculum. By leveraging our Thinking School tools, we will engage students with complex environmental issues, fostering a positive and solution-focused approach to problem-solving.

Each year group has been assigned an environmental guardianship topic, which will be explored through various lessons throughout the year. Students will engage with these issues in a proactive way, considering solutions to environmental threats. The topics for each year group are as follows:

• Reception: Oceans and Endangered Animals
• Year 1: Green Transport
• Year 2: Coastal areas
• Year 3: Deforestation
• Year 4: Water
• Year 5: Sustainable Fashion
• Year 6: Air Quality

In recognition of our ongoing efforts, East Sheen Primary School was proudly awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award with Distinction in both July 2023 and 2024 and 2025! This prestigious recognition highlights our continued commitment to sustainability and environmental education.