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A week with a focus on the environment and sustainability 

 

 

Following on from Seaford winning the Independent Schools Green Award, our Prep School last week ran the latest of its ‘Creative Curriculum’ programmes, this time based on the environment and sustainability. 

The three days of sessions for Years 1 to 6 pupils were launched with an assembly given by Dr Andy Richardson, Head of Science, who encouraged students to consider the environmental impact of plastic, paper and cotton bags. The message to students was to ‘Reuse, Reduce and Recycle’ as much as possible. 

Students were split into groups of varying ages, named after the 1970s kids’ TV programme, ‘The Wombles’, in which these furry creatures would collect objects that had been discarded on Wimbledon Common. Each Prep School teacher ran a session for each group based on a sustainability theme. 

“One of the benefits of grouping the students vertically was that the Year 5s and 6s were excellent role models, and the interactive learning and collaboration was wonderful to see,” said Jenny Lyne, Prep School teacher and Director of Key Stage 1 and 2. 

Alison Thomas, Head of History and Politics, ran a class about a former slave community in Gee’s Bend Alabama that makes quilts from strips of cloth. Through this, students also learned about the slave trade. Ailsa Artingstall taught students how to piece their own quilts together using their fine motor skills and artistry. There was an art session in which empty plastic milk containers were painted and made into a sculpture and ‘seed bombs’ were made so they could be thrown onto one of the chalky slopes in Lavington Park to grow into wildflowers. 

Parents were also involved, giving their time to talk to students about aspects of their businesses that focused on sustainability, be it in clothing, eco-friendly building materials, growing flowers, events and cities of the future. It prompted some lively debates and promoted innovation. 

Students had fun making their own terrariums using large glass jars which were filled with stones, soil, moss and plants. They learned about propagation and eco-systems. Mr Cooper ran a class in which students wrote environment-based posters using their poetry, writing and collaboration skills. Solar ovens were built with cardboard boxes and other recyclable materials using students’ maths and measuring skills, and when the sun came out, they were used to make s’mores by melting chocolate biscuits and marshmallows. 

Students enjoyed making musical instruments from paper and then writing and performing a song in front of their classmates. Students learned and performed a play titled 'Meeting Zog, the Recycling Obsessed Alien,' which conveyed the importance of sustainability using drama and dance.  

Jenny thanked the Prep School staff, the 29 Senior School teaching staff, Sixth Formers and parents for helping to make the three days so informative and entertaining. “The sessions sparked debate and, of course, the environment is currently a key issue and the students have been given a great groundling should they wish to take it further,” she said. 

Al Brown, Heda of Prep School, said: “Creative Learning days at Seaford bring a great learning opportunity and stimulate cooperation, ideas, imagination, tests, analysis, designs, stories and solutions – great learning, great challenge, great fun! Thank you to everyone involved in the Creative Curriculum days.”  

Lizzie Maclean, Prep School Teacher, said: “My session wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our parents who spoke about sustainability in their businesses. A huge thank you to them all.”  

Mr McMurray, C7 Architects https://www.instagram.com/c7architects/  

Mr Thorne, TIDL https://www.instagram.com/tidllife/  

Mr O'Rourke, NU Rock https://nu-rock.com/  

Mrs O'Rourke, Three Wild Flowers https://www.instagram.com/three.wild.flowers.uk/?hl=en  

Mrs Parsons, Better Green Group https://www.instagram.com/bettergreen_group/