Second Green Flag for Kirkhope
Wednesday, February 20 2008
Two years after getting the first ‘Green Flag’ in the Borders, Kirkhope Primary School near Selkirk is celebrating again.
It is the first school in the region to gain a second flag from the international Eco-Schools initiative.
The Green Flag, which is the highest level of attainment in the Eco-Schools programme, is the culmination of five years work, resulting in eco-awareness becoming a way of life in the school.
Since gaining its first flag in 2005, the school has raised enough funds to install solar panels on the roof, giving pupils the opportunity to monitor data as part of their maths and ICT lessons.
Recycling activities happen as a matter of course and pupils switch off lights and PCs without being asked to do so. Fruit and vegetable waste is composted or made into logs for burning and wildlife-friendly activities are encouraged wherever possible.
Scottish Borders Council Executive Member for education, Councillor Catriona Bhatia, a former pupil of Kirkhope, said: “I congratulate the school on this wonderful achievement. Having seen many of the projects happening in our schools, there is no doubt that our young people are very advanced in learning about environmentally friendly practices.
“Kirkhope has once again set a high standard in this area and I am confident that the rest of our schools will continue the great work and eventually progress further up the *Eco-Schools ladder.”
Headteacher Maureen (Mo) Brown added: "It's very exciting to get our second Green Flag, especially as we are the first in the Borders once again.
We continue to maintain a high standard of energy saving at the school with the message 'reduce, reuse, recycle'. Our children are the adults of the future and if we teach them these important messages now, they will go onto reinforce the message to their children."
The school recently held a 'green' party in Kirkhope Village Hall, when staff and pupils dressed up in as much green as possible.
*Eco Schools is an international initiative designed to encourage whole-school action for the environment. For more information visit www.ecoschoolsscotland.org
All 74 schools in the Scottish Borders are registered Eco-Schools: 28 hold bronze; 23 have silver and four schools have gained their first Green Flags.
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