Year of the Environment
In a world of “Drill, Baby, Drill”, criticism of the ambition of UK Net Zero, and climate denial, we prefer to educate our students with the emphases articulated by Bob Brown, (1944- ), Australian Doctor, Politician & Environmentalist who said: “The future will be green or not at all.”
From September 2025 we will be launching a school ‘Year of the Environment’ project for environmental education – building on the coverage the themes already have across our school curriculum – so that our students obtain all the facts and understand the debates and counter-arguments surrounding environmental change.
Our Focus Week programme will see wide coverage of environmental themes through assemblies, tutor time activities and special events and projects:
* W/B 22 September – World Clean-Up Day
* W/B 29 September – Second-Hand September
* W/B 13 October – World Food Day
* W/B 3 November – The Environmental Impact of War
* W/B 17 November – Road Safety Week (Electric / Diesel / Petrol)
* W/B 1 December – Recycling at Christmas Week
* W/B 12 January – World Heroines – Greta Thunberg (Wider Env Heroes)
* W/B 9 February – Go Green Week
* W/B 2 March – The Big Plastic Countdown
* W/B 16 March – World Water Day
* W/B 13 April – Fashion Revolution Week
* W/B 4 May – British Hero – David Attenborough
* W/B 11 May – Sun Awareness Week
* W/B 18 May – Endangered Species Week
* W/B 1 June – Clean Air Day
* W/B 8 June – World Ocean Day
* W/B 15 June – Refugee Week
* W/B 29 June – World Insect Day
* W/B 6 July – Reviewing the Year of the Environment
This project also ties into the government’s commitment that all schools should have a Sustainability & Climate Action Plan by September 2025.
All students will sign up to a commitment to learn about the changing environment around them and to understand the difference they can make with their life choices. The final decision on action or inaction will rest with them, but we believe education is the best means to activate change.
This project also extend eon the extensive work the school has actioned in recent years to reduce our environmental impact including solar panels, new and insulated roofing, motion sensor lighting, wooden canteen cutlery, extended recycling systems, and in Summer 2025 our new boiler and heating system will substantially reduce energy use and costs.
For more information about the school’s ‘Year of the Environment’ project, please contact Helen Barratt, Assistant Headteacher, via office@friaryschool.co.uk.
