Avonbourne School - Unit - Waste

Avonbourne are one of the first secondary schools to join the scheme. The school had already started recycling before the scheme started by putting boxes in each classroom to collect paper, so it seemed a natural progression to start with this unit.

The School has only just started working on the scheme, yet they have done a lot already. The Green Team has been formed comprising the Headteacher Pauline Greaves, Science teacher and green team contact Jane Gibson, Caretaker, Governor, parent governor, 2 interested staff members one of whom is in charge of the citizenship curriculum and pupils. Again, Avonbourne have encouraged the scheme to be pupil led. The main lead is taken by year 10 pupils undertaking the community service section of the Trident Scheme. One of these is Katherine Rothman.

The school has started by undertaking a survey of 'where they are at now'. The year 10 pupils are currently surveying how many rooms have paper recycling boxes and how often they need emptying. The pupils meet weekly, and meet up with Mrs Gibson once a fortnight. They are currently undertaking this survey ready to report back to the next meeting of the full team. The main aim to begin with is to improve the amount of paper being recycled, before looking at other things. They also currently recycle ink cartridges and raise between £600-£700 a year for a charity the British Institute for Brain Injured Children.

They are also busy organising a school wide competition through the ICT team to make a LOGO to put onto the recycling boxes in each classroom to make them visible.

Each form has 2 representatives who are the recycling officials. There has been a box in the library to ask for suggestions for the name that should be given to these representatives e.g. recycling captains.

These representatives will have a badge like a Green Team Shield and the pupils are currently researching the cost of these badges. The school intend to use their Marks and Spencers money to buy these badges to raise the status of these representatives and show how important the position is. The recycling captains are responsible for emptying the boxes of paper e.g. Louise Major and Rebecca Purchase.

The pupils are hoping to do assemblies to raise awareness of the scheme and recycling and what they are trying to do.

The next stage will be looking at the results of their survey reviewing where they are at now and deciding on an action plan. They have selected which targets they wish to pursue, and are considering looking at the waste topic through the citizenship curriculum.

Katherine Rothman one of 8 pupils on the Green Team is keen to get the whole school aware and involved in the scheme. She would like to see 'a lovely, gorgeous school with not so much trash everywhere, and with recycling bins full to the point of overflowing'. She would like to see the school be successful with paper first before moving on to look at other items like cans and bottles etc. She would also like their team to tackle the issue of litter around the grounds. Katherine says that she was enjoying the scheme.

The year 10 students are also busy thinking about how to recruit their successors for next year.