~Devon Schools Sustainability Bulletin #16 March 2016
Devon Schools Sustainability Bulletin #16
March 2015
Welcome to this early Spring issue of the Devon Schools Sustainability Bulletin.
This Bulletin has several great learning opportunities coming up. It is also the last chance to sign a colleague up to the bulletin and enter the prize draw to win a set of recycling themed books.
Do forward this on to others who might be interested and if you have not already subscribed and would like to click to sign up.
Contents
News Composting and gardening in school Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Energy and climate change Training and events Funding
News
Prize draw to win school books
We would like the Devon Schools Sustainability Bulletin to reach even more people.Special offer:every new subscriber will be put into a prize draw to win a set of 15 waste and recycling themed books.
If you know of anyone in Devon who would like to receive the updates and opportunities, do pass this on to them so they can sign uphere. The draw will be on Monday 16th March.
Few last places at FREE "Seeding Ideas for Sustainability" training day
Join Resource Futures and guests at Embercombe, near Exeter onThursday March 12thfor a FREE, exciting and inspiring teacher training day called "Seeding ideas for Sustainability" where we will be looking at waste and sustainability as topics to integrate into your schools ethos and curriculum.
Expect talks from composting experts, teachers who have successfully integrated sustainability and waste into every day school life, exciting hands on activities including making your own pizza from scratch, discussion groups looking at the problems and successes of being an Eco teacher in a primary school, take home resources, and sources of funding. For further information see the flyerhereand contact Alex Mack onalex.mack@resourcefutures.co.ukor call 07944 791971.
FREE Growing Devon Schools Partnership (GDSP) teachers forum day
Last November's GDSP forum was another great success, with teachers getting involved in cooking and lasagne gardening, as well as sharing ideas and resources for outdoor learning.
GDSP are bringing teachers together again onWednesday 11th Marchat South Molton Community College. Find out about the last Teacher Forum dayhereand to book contact Polly Frost on pfrost@soilassociation.org or phone 07920 047 303.
Food cycle training at Embercombe, near Exeter or Paignton Zoo
There are a couple of places left on the Growing Devon Schools teacher training programme for 2015. They are offering expert training and support to create outdoor learning spaces at your school and improve your commitment to learning outside of the classroom.
The training is for two members of staff or school volunteers ( such as a committed parent, support staff or governor). The training takes place over four days through the school year, and culminates in a celebration day to recognise what the school has achieved. GDSP provides support throughout the training and beyond. This has been funded by Awards for All, so GDSP only asks for £50 each participant.
Looking for Naturally Healthy Schools in North and East Devon
The new Naturally Healthy Devon Schools' project has a focus on the health benefits of learning in the natural environment.
If you are a school in East or North Devon and think you might like to get involved, either as a Beacon or cluster school, please email Laura atnaturalconnections@plymouth.ac.uk.
Composting and gardening in school
Things to do in your school garden this March and April
Now is the time to to startsowing seeds, so you have crops to harvest in the summer term.The list below includes some of the best things to sow now. The links will take you straight to the Food for Life growing card, which explains what to do. All of the Food for Life growing resources can be seenhere.
The original artists used colours made from soil. When you start looking around you will be amazed at how many different colours you can find, so why not connect with your ancestors and try soil painting with your class. It is cheap and simple andthisresource explains what to do.
The December edition of the Bulletin had a feature on soils and mud in the curriculum and playtime. You can see this againhere, and we will be running more features and ideas on soil throughout the year!
FREE Composting Curriculum handbook
In case you didn't order yours last year, here is a reminder to get your free copy of the new Compost Curriculum Handbook. It has primary curriculum linked activities learning about, and using, natures wonderful compost.
The session plans are divided into 'class' and 'eco group' activities for each month in the school year. Each session plan includes supporting information, curriculum links and resources. There are also top tips, fun facts and compost quotes for each month! The whole resource is in a sturdy ring binder so each activity can be easily taken out for use and other activities can be added.
The handbook is free to Devon Schools; one copy per school; two for larger primaries (sorry not Torbay and Plymouth schools). To request your hard copy contact Heidi Diepold atrecycle@devon.gov.uk or teachers in eligible schools can download it from the log in area on the website zone.recycledevon.org/composting.
Growing a proper relationship between people and place: a land conference suitable for secondary students
Have you ever wondered who the land should really belong to? Are you someone with ideas that could change the way we view ourselves in relation to the places we inhabit? This conference, on the 21st March in Totnes, is an opportunity for people in Devon to start finding answers to the questions that arise when we ask what our proper relationship with the land should be.
It is a great opportunity for secondary students who are interested in food growing and land based work to find out about the broader issues around it.
For more details and booking see theflyer andwebsite.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Free Waste Summit for secondary students
The Waste Summit is a free, popular, fast paced and thought provoking event aimed at Devon's year 10 students. The Summit explores waste within the wider sustainability agenda and brings students from different schools together for a range of curriculum supporting activities and discussion.
It will be held at County Hall, Exeter on the 26th March 2015. For further details and to book a place see theflyer; contactiain.stevens@devon.gov.ukor phone 01392 383586.
New Recycle Devon website for teachers
Visitzone.recycledevon.org, the exciting newly designed waste, recycling and composting website for teachers. The site features free downloadable teaching resources designed to help staff and pupils in Devon incorporate the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) into classroom teaching and the day-to-day life of their school.
There is something for everybody, whether you want to incorporate waste issues into literacy and maths lessons; run a whole-school campaign to earn your next Eco-Schools award; keep a lively Eco Team busy on a rainy day; or save money by reducing the amount of paper the school uses.
What about Waste? Literacy resource pack
This literacy pack will develop pupils’ core skills while extending their understanding of waste issues. It comprises 10 clear and easy to use lesson plans, which address literacy objectives for upper KS2 pupils using the topical theme of rubbish and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).
It can be downloadedhere via a log in area (Devon teachers only, sorry not Plymouth or Torbay).
Don't waste it; WARPit
WARPitis an online exchange facility; it is a bit like ebay, but no money changes hands. Schools can sign up to claim resources (such as furniture, stationary, sports equipment etc.) from other schools in Devon, or get rid of their unwanted items. That means they save money by not purchasing new items, but also save money on disposal costs. It'sfreeto register,freeto use and you get the items forfree. Items recently added are a laptop, a printer, screens and various storage units. Devon schools (not Torbay or Plymouth) can register on this websiteor see the flyerfor more information. Torbay schools can registerhere. Plymouth has not yet joined the scheme.
School skill share visits to inspire action
Teachers have the opportunity to learn and share practical ideas via a‘skills share visit’. Contact us and we can facilitate a visit to a nearby school who is successfully composting and/ or recycling. Here you will meet teachers and pupils who run the schemes and gain practical ideas to implement back in your school. You can also apply for your expenses. Feedback from a recent visit included:
"Our Skills Share visit to South Molton Community College was extremely helpful. The members of staff we met provided us with a really useful insight into their composting and recycling practices. It was enlightening to see how with student involvement and staff support, effective waste management can be embedded into all working and learning practices within the school. All 3 of us who visited from Chulmleigh Community College left feeling very inspired and well informed and have been taking practical steps, since our visit, to start to improve our waste management. Excellent visit, time well spent!"
Eco-schools have teamed up with David Luke to develop an Eco-uniform range for 2015. The recycled plastic bottles range includes:
* the original Eco-blazers and Eco-jackets
* Eco-skirts and Eco-trousers
* NEW Eco-polos and Eco-sweats Eco-Schools have also co-designedlesson plans and learning resources. To see the uniforms see thewebsite.
Energy and climate change
Energy and climate change resources
This resource which will help teachers and school managers raise awareness and take action in their school is available in the SEACS Project Toolkit, funded by the EU and Devon County Council. There is, for example, a self-evaluation matrix to guide you on your energy awareness journey; primary and secondary lesson plans for Design & Technology, French, Science and PSHE; tips on running a whole-school awareness raising campaign; guidance for arranging a United Nations style Climate Summit; templates and guidance to help your school audit and measure its energy consumption; and case studies and videos showing how others have used the tools.
Training and events
FREE Food for Life training days
The Food for Life Partnership has lots of practical and inspiring training days coming up this term:
Cooks Network for In-house school cookswith Jeanette Orrey, MBE Tuesday 24th March, 2pm – 4.30pm, Whipton Barton Junior School, Exeter
To find out more about the work FFLP is doing in Devon, please contact Polly Frost on 07920 047 303 or emailpfrost@soilassociation.orgTwitter @SchFoodDevon
'Getting Out There' training at Embercombe
'Getting Out There'an opportunity to develop skills and confidence in incorporating outdoor experiences into your work with children, young people and families. It is a residential training from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th March, 2015.
The training will take place atEmbercombe near Exeter. The weekend will include a range of hands on practical activities and experiential learning as well as time for reflection.
See theposterfor more details and if you would like to take part please fill out and return thebooking formoremailfor further information.
Creative ideas for the outdoor classroom
This one-day workshop on 21st April at Slapton Ley near Dartmouth, is suitable for all those wanting to engage families, children and young people through and in outdoor learning. During the day you will experience a variety of creative activities linked to different curriculum areas and stimulating all the senses. You will take away ideas and activities designed to excite and inspire participants in the natural world.
Facilitator, Laura Hetherington, is a creative practitioner and consultant and teacher specialising in theatre, story-telling and arts education and a wealth of experience in facilitating learning from and through nature.
To find out more or to make a booking please see theflyeror contact Laura on 07500 016 173 or laura@jakalory.org.uk
Funding
Funding lists
Natural Connections has put together a usefullist of potential fundersfor outdoor learning and sustainability projects in schools, along with links to supporting information about applying for funding. The information is available on theGrowing Schools website.
Naturesave Trust
The Naturesave Trust are an insurance company that give small grants to environmental projects. To find out more about how to apply for a grant visit theirwebsite.
Tree council grants
The Tree Council offers three small grants schemes to assist with the costs of community tree-planting projects:
Community Trees Fund – for tree-planting projects in community grounds
Trees for Schools – for tree-planting projects in school grounds
Orchard Windfalls Fund – for projects to plant apple or pear trees to create an orchard on land accessible to the public.
Projects with total tree planting costs between £100 and £700 are eligible and grants can be made up to 75% of total costs. Planting should take place in National Tree Week (28 November to 6 December 2015). See thewebsitefor more details.
Funding from Devon County Councillors
Devon County Councillors are each allocated £40,000 to be used forfunding community projectsin their area. This is split into £25,000 to support capital projects (spending on significant assets that will have a life of many years) and £15,000 of revenue funding (spending on day-to-day items to run services, supplies and purchase of services). Interested organisations are advised to contact their County Councillor. To find out who that is seehere.
Next bulletin...
Thenext bulletinis due to come out in April after the Easter holidays. If you have any case studies, news, ideas or resources relating to sustainability in schools that other teachers might be interested in, please send a short paragraph (up to 100 words) and a small picture tomelissaharvey.dccn@gmail.com by Friday 10th April.
Welcome to this early Spring issue of the Devon Schools Sustainability Bulletin.
News
We would like the Devon Schools Sustainability Bulletin to reach even more people.
Last November's GDSP forum was another great success, with teachers getting involved in cooking and lasagne gardening, as well as sharing ideas and resources for outdoor learning.
There are a couple of places left on the Growing Devon Schools teacher training programme for 2015. They are offering expert training and support to create outdoor learning spaces at your school and improve your commitment to learning outside of the classroom.
Now is the time to to start
The original artists used colours made from soil. When you start looking around you will be amazed at how many different colours you can find, so why not connect with your ancestors and try soil painting with your class. It is cheap and simple and
In case you didn't order yours last year, here is a reminder to get your free copy of the new 
Visit
This literacy pack will develop pupils’ core skills while extending their understanding of waste issues. It comprises 10 clear and easy to use lesson plans, which address literacy objectives for upper KS2 pupils using the topical theme of rubbish and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).
Teachers have the opportunity to learn and share practical ideas via a
Eco-schools have teamed up with David Luke to develop an Eco-uniform range for 2015. The recycled plastic bottles range includes:
This resource which will help teachers and school managers 
The Food for Life Partnership has lots of practical and inspiring training days coming up this term:
This one-day workshop on 21st April at Slapton Ley near Dartmouth, is suitable for all those wanting to engage families, children and young people through and in outdoor learning. During the day you will experience a variety of creative activities linked to different curriculum areas and stimulating all the senses. You will take away ideas and activities designed to excite and inspire participants in the natural world.
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