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Hawkinge Primary school have been presented with the prestigious Green Eco-Schools Flag by KCC Chairman, Peter Lake after winning the prize back in July 2008

Pupils pictured with KCC Chairman Peter Lake, County Councillor Susan Carey,  governor Sandra Hibbert and headteacher Aly Ward

The school has been working on the Eco-Schools programme for 5 years, registering in April 2003 and gaining their Bronze Award in October the same year. In October 2004 the school gained their Silver Award.

The Eco-Schools Green Flag is the highest award achievable under the international Eco-Schools programme. It demonstrates the whole School's commitment to improving its environment.

Only thirty-five schools in Kent currently have a Green Eco-Schools Flag but over 350 Kent schools are registered as Eco-Schools and over 240 have some kind of award.

At Hawkinge Primary School pupils in the Eco Club meet at lunchtime to discuss environmental issues around the school and are supported by the Eco-Schools Co-ordinator, a parent, the Community Warden and local Youth Worker.

The school have an eco article each week in the school’s newsletter and have ensured that the messages about looking after the environment are part of family learning days, Breakfast Club, packing healthy packed lunches and the curriculum. The Family Liaison Officer and the Caretaker both support the Eco Club to promote understanding of what we can all do to make a difference.

The school have used arts and geography weeks to help teach the children about the global dimension and have designed a programme of work using Personal, Social and Health Education time which covers:

The school recycles paper, cardboard, toner cartridges and mobile phones and composts fruit and vegetable snack waste. A lunchtime waste competition was set up to see which classes generated least waste; bags of waste being weighed and charted over 6 weeks. Stickers were purchased to encourage re-use of envelopes.

The Caretaker reads energy meters weekly to help the school monitor and try to reduce energy use.

A litter picking rota is in place in school to ensure the school is litter-free and a community litter pick was undertaken by the Eco Club to spread the message further.

A wildlife area was created on the school field, including a pond and native hedging in 2005 and this and other planting initiatives have recently been extended through the growing of mushrooms, salad and radishes. An electric germinator helps the school to grow a wide range of produce. Bird boxes were donated and put around the school site.

The school operate Walk on Wednesday. They are also a Healthy School, gaining their accreditation in 2007

The Eco-Schools Co-ordinator and the head teacher said: “It has been a pleasure to be involved in the ECO schools project.

"It has done much, much more than raise awareness of environmental issues with pupils from the school, but has also given us the opportunity to develop more Globally Aware Citizens throughout the whole school.

"It is wonderful to see the support parents and children give to the eco issues –support for Walk on Wednesdays is fabulous, come rain or shine most parents and children walk to school. The eco team have also enjoyed growing and selling their produce, making themselves more self sufficient. I would recommend the eco schools programme to all schools – its a super project!”