Set up an Energy or Eco team to lead on energy efficiency at your school
Harris Academy Rainham, Wednesday, 13 September 2023
20
Change-maker
KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4
What you did
Advertisements were put up in our school in order to recruit a dedicated team of KS3 & KS4 students who will lead Eco projects throughout the academic year. Some are return students, but many are new to the team.
We began by reflecting on the activities we completed last year, for example reviewing our 2022-23 sustainability plan successes and shortcomings. We aim to continue the planting of new saplings, cleaning the school pond and restoring its ecosystem, harvesting crops from our new on-site allotment, and developing a working document to plan for the coming year. Students have already independently created and presented a plan for the coming year (y8 student work attached). We have also painted a mural on an old chemical store and given students a guided tour of the eco features of our new sixth form building currently under construction.
We began by reflecting on the activities we completed last year, for example reviewing our 2022-23 sustainability plan successes and shortcomings. We aim to continue the planting of new saplings, cleaning the school pond and restoring its ecosystem, harvesting crops from our new on-site allotment, and developing a working document to plan for the coming year. Students have already independently created and presented a plan for the coming year (y8 student work attached). We have also painted a mural on an old chemical store and given students a guided tour of the eco features of our new sixth form building currently under construction.
Our forward plan includes the expansion of the the gardening and greening projects we began in the previous year, the involvement of more students from more year groups and outreach to external community stakeholders who can lend expertise and learning opportunities. Much progress has already been made this year.
Activity description
Some schools will already have an Eco-committee or similar which will take on this role. Other schools may choose to appoint a class to lead on energy efficiency. Decide which staff will support your team.
In most areas Energy Sparks can help support your Energy Team with visits or online sessions from trained professional educators, volunteer energy mentors or with STEM Ambassadors. Please book a workshop here.
Educate your team about climate change and energy by carrying out some of the Energy Sparks Explorer activities. Make sure they are really knowledgeable about the importance of energy and climate change, at an appropriate level for their age. It is important that pupils have significant input into the decision-making process and take ownership of any energy saving plans made.
Set up the times and places for your team to meet, including when they will report to the school management team including governor representatives. Your team could split into several sub-groups focussing on different aspects of energy saving.
Your Energy Team will be responsible for reviewing the current energy use situation (using the Energy Sparks charts), developing an energy saving action plan, and monitoring, recording and reducing your energy use. They will particularly be responsible for communicating to your school community, conducting switch off campaigns and measuring how much energy is saved or wasted by pupil and staff behaviour. The group may decide to have a high profile energy efficiency campaign involving the whole school, possibly a power down/layer up day or switch-off fortnight. The team will also need to revisit energy issues on a regular basis to ensure that changes made are sustained over time.
In most areas Energy Sparks can help support your Energy Team with visits or online sessions from trained professional educators, volunteer energy mentors or with STEM Ambassadors. Please book a workshop here.
Educate your team about climate change and energy by carrying out some of the Energy Sparks Explorer activities. Make sure they are really knowledgeable about the importance of energy and climate change, at an appropriate level for their age. It is important that pupils have significant input into the decision-making process and take ownership of any energy saving plans made.
Set up the times and places for your team to meet, including when they will report to the school management team including governor representatives. Your team could split into several sub-groups focussing on different aspects of energy saving.
Your Energy Team will be responsible for reviewing the current energy use situation (using the Energy Sparks charts), developing an energy saving action plan, and monitoring, recording and reducing your energy use. They will particularly be responsible for communicating to your school community, conducting switch off campaigns and measuring how much energy is saved or wasted by pupil and staff behaviour. The group may decide to have a high profile energy efficiency campaign involving the whole school, possibly a power down/layer up day or switch-off fortnight. The team will also need to revisit energy issues on a regular basis to ensure that changes made are sustained over time.