- Maintaining the school’s Green Flag Award
- Running projects to ensure and sustain environmental awareness
- Meeting fortnightly to discuss key environmental issues
- Recycling across the school
- The ‘Walk to School Fortnight’ initiative
Annual Summaries
A summary of 2025 – 2026
This year, the Eco Team continued to work together to encourage the school community – and beyond – to think carefully about their role in protecting the local environment. Throughout the year, children carried out local litter picks to ensure that the area is a clean and tidy place to be. They met with the school’s Eco Team leader regularly to think about what further actions could be taken to encourage the school community to make more sustainable choices: such as monitoring electricity use and ways in which we can use less paper. A new outdoor classroom was built to further enhance the school garden. This space has been used for a range of outdoor learning and gardening workshops throughout the year. It is hoped that more learning will take place outside in the upcoming year. In the Summer Term, Orchard Primary School proudly hosted the launch of the Sustainability Curriculum. Leaders from around Hackney came to hear about the exciting new curriculum and to see how Orchard Primary School are already embedding this learning into day to day teaching. The Eco Team had the prestigious job of presenting to the audience about the wide range of actions, workshops and learning that takes place each year: they did a fantastic job!
A summary of 2024 – 2025
The Eco Team plays a key role in promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices across the school. Throughout the year, the team strengthened the school’s commitment to sustainability by promoting Fairtrade, supporting pupils to develop an understanding of ethical sourcing and the global impact of consumer choices. Pupils also took part in bread-making workshops, which supported learning about food production, sustainability and the importance of reducing food waste. To further raise awareness of environmental issues, the Eco Team marked Earth Day through a whole-school assembly and organised an Earth Day poster competition. Certificates were awarded to selected pupils within each key stage in recognition of their participation and efforts.
A summary of 2023 – 2024
This year the Eco Team worked hard to maintain our Green Flag with Distinction. With a focus on Litter, Water and Healthy Living, the Eco Team carried out a wide range of environmentally conscious activities. The Eco Team marked Earth Day by delivering an assembly on saving water. They also launched the ‘Save Water’ poster competition. The winning poster was then displayed around the school to remind children to be aware of their water usage. The team collaborated with Sports Ambassadors and School council during Healthy Living Week, to support children to make healthy choices. This included giving each class a herb to grow, which was then sold at the Summer Fair. The Eco Team completed regular litter picks at playtime and in the local community and ensured that we were on top of our recycling.
A summary of 2022 – 2023
This year the Eco team marked Earth Day by delivering an assembly all about Sustainability. They also launched the ‘Save Water’ poster competition. The Eco Team have carried out a range of activities in and around school to ensure that we are being as Eco Friendly as possible. For example: Litter picks, school inspections for leaking taps, checking and emptying recycling boxes for used pens and much much more. The Eco Teams have been supporting the school on their journeys towards achieving and maintaining the Green Flag Award. The three areas of focus for this year are: water, litter and healthy living. The team are collaborating with the Sports Ambassadors to make sure this year’s Healthy Living week is the best yet!
A summary of 2021 – 2022
This year the Green Team had a strong focus on waste reduction and recycling. We had a few visits from Kelly, Hackney Council’s Environmental Officer who provided assemblies and workshops aiming to raise awareness on these matters. She spoke to the children about the correct way to use recycling bins and informed them about what can be put into the waste buckets in the lunch hall. In addition, she gave some amazing facts about recycling and how recycling can save the world! A few other initiatives the Green Team carried out included cross-site meetings to brainstorm eco-project ideas with their peers from Southwold and Hoxton Garden.
A summary of 2020 – 2021
This year, the Green Team participated in the Great British Clean-up Challenge, where they collaborated with Hackney Council and the School Council to help keep local streets and parks clean. They visited Well Street Common and worked together to collect several bin bags full of litter. As part of the national ‘Cut Your Carbon’ campaign, the Green Team also held a few assemblies to encourage reusing, recycling and reducing the amount of clothes we buy. Did you know that it takes 20,000 litres of water to make just 2 pairs of jeans?
