Third Eco Schools Green Flag!

Wonderful news today that Sciennes received our third Eco Schools Green Flag!

Alastair Davidson and Briony McLaughin from Eco Schools (part of the Keep Scotland Beautiful charity) met with pupil Eco Reps on Tuesday 25th January to assess the Eco work of the school over the last two years. The children were absolutely superb and made an obvious impression, showing their knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, all the various Eco projects in and around school. Alastair gave us some very helpful feedback and advice for taking developments forward, including establishing air quality monitoring in Sciennes Road, and had a very positive and encouraging manner with the children.

A very special thank you to Mr Kearton for all his enthusiasm and drive with Eco - our reps from last year were particularly animated in relaying all their achievements with him. Miss Kirsty Gallagher, P3 Class Teacher, is doing an amazing job of leading the new and old reps this year and brings so much experience of Eco from Prestonfield (where she also secured a Green Flag for the school). The award is also in recognition of all the hard work of Miss Alison Mackintosh as well as Mr Kearton over the last two years and of the whole team efforts in supporting Eco throughout the school - Ms Christie, Mrs Noble, Ms Anstruther, Mr Scott and Mr Reid, with the entire staff, carrying on the great work done by Ms Emma Kidd in securing our first Green Flag and Ms Claire Phillips and Ms Mel Ross in securing our Second. Grateful thanks to Parent Council members Corrine and Phoebe who have provided such sterling support to the school over many years with the Wildlife Garden, planting and harvesting vegetables for P3 soup making, as well as helping pupils create our fantastic Eco Display board. It was wonderful to have Corrine attend the inspection visit. Alastair commented favourably on the great work in Food Focus Fortnight by Miss Shona Pearmain and thought Ms Anstruther's Sensory Room is an exciting, innovative resource. Mr McKenna's Science provision in P3-P7 was also credited during the inspection. Alastair was enthusiastic about plans to focus on 'School Grounds' and 'Transport' Eco topics over the next two years, recognising the tremendous existing achievements in Cycling and the ambitious plans for the Playground already in place. Great team effort - pupils, staff and parents.

Well done, everyone!

Eco Reps conducted a tour for our visitors and all were very articulate and passionate about sharing all their efforts with Eco:

When	Where	What	Who
10am	Gate	Meet Visitors Meet Team Overview on iPads	P4 Reps; Miss Gallagher Miss Gallagher; Ms Gallagher; All Reps; Corrine P7 reps: Sahaj and Theo. P4 reps return to class
10.10am	Ms Gallagher’s Room
10.10am	P7C Classroom	Eco Rap videos; Classroom recycling; ChangeWorks; technology	P7 reps: Jessica and Alexander (P7C early break 10.25am)
10.20am	P5 Classroom - Isaac	Winner of Eco Pledge competition; Rainforest	P5 reps
10.25am	New Kitchen	Food Focus; Smoothie Bike	P5 reps (then return to class)
10.30am	Eco Display board	Phoebe and Corinne parent helpers helped create display; Litter, Waste and Energy; Eco Pledge; City Chambers presentation; Lauriston Castle	P6 reps: Rose, Ava ; Corrine
10.35am	Science Base	Learning about the environment through Science	Sahaj; Mr McKenna
10.40am	P1 Classroom	Daily fruit; fruit on a Friday; fruit waste bins; water cooler; P7 flood workshops	Theo
10.45am	Basement and Boiler Room	Recycling bins Thermal image camera	Theo, Sahaj, Jessica, Mr Reid
10.50am	ICT Suite	Default double sided/black and white printing. Fewer printers. Automatic switch off of computers at 5pm	Ava, Peigidh
	Bike pods	For staff	Ava, Peigidh
10.55am	Eco Garden	Sowing, maintaining and harvesting vegetables for P3 Soup; greenhouse	P3 pupils from Miss Gallagher’s class; Rose, Sophie, Jane; Corrine
11.05am	Dining Hall	Food waste reduced – stickers for finishing meal. Food waste bins	Esther, Peigidh
11.10am	Sensory Room	Health and Wellbeing improvements	Esther; Ms Anstruther
11.15am	Playground	Plans, Wildlife Garden; bamboo, hedge, herb garden, litter bins; food waster	Laiba, Ava, Sahaj; ; Ms Christie
	Playground	Cycle Training P1-P6, Cycle Friendly School Award, Cycle to School Days, bike sheds, loan bikes and helmets; Cycle Adventures; Bike Club	P6 reps– Sophie, Rose, Peigidh, Jane, Esther; Ms Christie
11.30-12pm	Ms Gallagher’s Room	Review documentation, question and answer with staff	Miss Gallagher, Ms Christie, Ms Gallagher

P4 Lucy, Alice, Calum
P5 Seamus, Eric, Ryan, Evelyn, Sarah, Layla 
P6 Peigidh, Jane, Esther, Rose, Sophie, Laiba 
P7 Theo, Sahaj, Alexander, Jessica, Ava