EMPTY plastic bottles can still have a useful life – as pupils at Frodsham Primary Academy know full well.
They have been transforming them into furniture for the school grounds – and their efforts have won the school a £100 prize and being highly commended in a new green awards scheme for UK schools – the Primary Awards for Green Education in Schools (PAGES).
The scheme aims to encourage environmental education for children aged 5-11.
Their innovative approach has attracted the attention of judges at a new green awards scheme for UK schools, the Primary Awards for Green Education in Schools (PAGES), which aims to encourage environmental education for young people aged 5-11.
Almost 35,000 children across the country took part in the competition and the Frodsham’s pupils’ efforts won a ‘highly commended’ in the green creators category, winning lots of kudos and the £100 prize..
The children submitted a report on the work they had been doing since last summer to make “eco bricks” out of plastic bottles and containers, which they used to construct a sofa and stools for their forest school area in which they have also created a bumblebee friendly zone by planting bee friendly plants. Spare eco bricks have been used to make bumblebee models.
The project was part of a programme of eco activities including an eco-day which featured a presentation of their creations and classroom work to parents as well as a fashion show featuring the children parading in clothes fashioned out of rubbish. Teacher Alice Pemberton said: “The children are so proud of this award. They’ve really embraced these green activities and they have learned so much about the importance of sustainability and preserving the natural world.”
Frodsham Primary Academy is one of eight primary schools that make up Warrington Primary Academy Trust (WPAT), a community of more than 2,300 children aged 2 to 11.
Picture: Hard at work planting a bumblebee friendly zone in Frodsham Primary Academy’s forest school area are (from left) Reception pupil Albert, Year 6 pupil Jack and Year 3 pupil Prraveesh.