Pupils meet the Business Manager to discuss the school's energy usage and bills

Holme Valley Primary School, Tuesday, 03 October 2023
10 Communicator KS1, KS2, KS3

What you did

Joshua, Evelina, Toby and Oscar met with the Head teacher who took the children to the boiler house where all the new heating system has been change. Head teacher along with the business manager explained to the children what they were spending on gas and electricity before the new system and what they spend now. Discussions were around how much money the school has already saved and what impact it has had on the school. 
Children were then given the opportunity to ask questions. 

Activity description

Here are some issues you could discuss with the Business Manager:

  1. The School Business Manager will be able to tell you about your school's energy tariff. The school is likely to be charged a rate per kWh, so the energy bill increases as the school uses more electricity and gas, and a standing charge per day, which they must  pay regardless of whether they use any gas or electricity. Work with the Business Manager to add the school's actual tariffs to Energy Sparks to improve the cost information on the more detailed cost pages. You can ask the Business Manager to add the school's tariffs at Manage School - Manage tariffs. 
  2. Different energy companies charge different rates. Can you find out how often the Business Manager checks to see if the school is on the best rate? 
  3. Many energy tariffs increased very significantly in 2022. Discuss with the School Business Manager what this means for the school. How much have your school's rates increased? What can your school no longer afford if it is paying more for energy? 
  4. How old is the  school boiler? Is it serviced each year?  A regularly serviced boiler can save as much as 10% on annual heating costs. 
  5. Is there insulation in the school loft or walls?  25% of a building’s heat will escape via an uninsulated roof, which adds hundreds of pounds per year to heating bills. Insulating any roof spaces and unfilled external cavity walls is an effective and inexpensive way of reducing heat losses. Check insulation is in good condition and replace if required.   Unfortunately many school buildings have flat roofs and single external walls making insulation measures more difficult, disruptive and costly. Improvements to these are most cost effective during refurbishment projects and should always be considered when the opportunity arises. 
  6. Are all the windows and doors single, double or triple glazed?
  7. Does the school have a budget for energy improvement measures such as new energy efficient lighting, insulating hot water pipes, or better heating controls? Could the PTA be approached to fundraise to cover the cost of some energy saving measures?
  8. Could the  school install  plug-in seven-day timers  to reduce the likelihood of communal equipment such as photocopiers, and printers being left on overnight or over the weekend?  These only cost a few pounds from DIY shops.
  9. Has the school ever looked at installing a renewable energy source?  The energy sources most likely to be suitable for schools are: 
    • Solar energy (to generate hot water and electricity)
    • Wind energy (to generate electricity to use on-site or export to the National Grid) 
    • Biomass (sometimes called organic energy or biofuels, and mostly used to generate heat). 

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