Sustainability, enterprise, global issues, our technology specialism: how do we incorporate these important aspects of the curriculum within the summer half term?
Year 9 students: making and marketing fair trade buns © Guiseley School
Raising the profile of environmental issues within Guiseley School, a Leeds secondary 11-18 comprehensive of 1330 pupils, has in fact helped us to link a number of key agendas across the school.
We are a technology specialist college moving into our fifth phase, are on the pilot sustainability award, are also applying for the international school award and deliver enterprise as enhancement days to years 9 and 10 as well as within the curriculum.
Going green
Green Day on Friday 5th June provided a good starting point for involving all members of the school. Pupils and staff came to school wearing a green accessory. These ranged from stripy green socks to green hats and shoes.
During registration period, all forms in years 7 to 10 discussed during that week how the school could be more sustainable. Those ideas have been recorded onto green leaves which are now displayed as a tree near reception. As a result of these discussions, green issues are a fixed item on the school council agenda.
Some year 9 pupils asked if they could organise an eco-group which meets regularly to discuss how we can continue to raise the profile of protecting our environment.
This provided a great introduction to our global issues days for each half of year 9 held on Tuesday 16th and Thursday 18th June which were highly successful. The aim of these days was to use enterprising skills and to look at global issues from a sustainability perspective.
Green Day workshops
I started the day by outlining the aims and showed pupils a ten minute clip from The story of stuff, an enlightening video that explains how consumerism impacts on the environment.
Guiseley School's green issues tree © Guiseley School
Pupils were then involved in a workshop of their choice. These included:
- dance
- drama
- printing onto cardboard sculptures of a plane and a car
- creating a patchwork in textiles from recycled materials
- building mousetrap cars in technology
- cooking buns from fair trade materials and marketing them with food and business, and
- composing a song with a green theme in music.
A celebration of the work produced was held during the last session of the day. Pupils seemed to really enjoy the tasks they were given and real talent, commitment and good teamwork was shown.
Staff feedback commented on how motivated and self-disciplined the pupils were and how great it was to see them working in a different context with a shared focus. It also helped us to focus on PLTs and for staff from different subject areas to combine their expertise.
Pupil evaluations raved about the day. We continue to celebrate their successes through displaying powerpoints and their artistic creations within school, as well as through assemblies, and newsletters home to parents.
These activities have created a positive start on our journey to support our work as a school towards raising awareness about the environment.
Pippa Davies was one of the two teachers to receive the 2009 Green Day award of £200. Congratulations to Pippa and all your students and staff at Guiseley School.
Pippa Davies has been assistant head at Guiseley School since January 2005. Her role includes responsibility for technology specialist status, enterprise, international work and supporting work towards achieving the sustainability award. © Guiseley School
All Green Day award winners from 2009
Liz Rushton, primary teacher from Moor Allerton Primary School, Leeds
Emma-Leigh McAbe, student from St Cleopas Primary School, Liverpool
Tamara Hallam, student from Guiseley School, Leeds