Eco Pre-school

[Guest Chubby]

Is anyone involved in ecoschools for pre-school and nursery children?

I have registered my settings but not sure how to start. I have had a good look at the information within the website. But feel left out on a limb at the moment as no courses running for further support. Having looked at the information I think we are close to a Bronze award, but have no commitee at the moment.

Help

[AnonyMouse_3139]

Hi Chubby, welcome to the forum

I havent heard about ecoschools, do tell more

[AnonyMouse_79]

Hi Chubby and welcome.

Hopefully someone who can help you will be along soon!

[AnonyMouse_3139]

For anyone else who hasnt heard of it, its here eco schools

[Guest]

Hi Chubby and welcome. I am going to have a look at Rea's link as I haven't heard of eco schools before.

Linda

[Guest Wolfie]

A warm welcome from me too, Chubby- that all sounds very interesting, I'll have to have a good read!

[AnonyMouse_73]

Hi Chubby, welcome to the forum and thanks for making your first post.

 

have you used the search to find places in your area that you could possibly visit. There are some nurseries that have gone for it but the process involved would be similar to a primary school if you can get to visit one.

The bronze award is fairly straight forward from what I can remember, once you get your committee and action plan sorted.

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Hi Chubby

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Haven't heard of Eco schools - do you have to be a school or can pre-schools register (and do you have to have your own building?).

 

So many questions....

 

Maz

[Guest Chubby]

Hello Maz and thankyou for your reply, I had heard of it for schools, secondary mainly then it crept into primary schools and was introduced to pre-schools recently. I did apply for the pilot scheme in 2006 but unforntuatley had a visit to hospital instead. I am now ready to continue with the scheme but no courses are available to me just yet. I think they are seeing how the pilots are doing. I believe it's all very positive. I have now registered with eco-schools.org.uk but it has left me in the air a bit.

 

I shall watch this space.

Chubs

[Guest Chubby]

Thankyou for your swift replies, and your straight forward advise, I had not noticed the option on the site to view the schools within my area. There are not many nursery/pre-schools within the area that have progressed to Bronze but I will keep an eye on them and hopefully make a contact.

[Guest]

Hi Chubby,

I've been looking at this for a while but haven't committed to doing an award. I think the bit about having the children's input at all stages daunted me a bit - not that I have a problem with it, just that we have a high proportion of very young children at the minute. Any tips?

[Guest]

Hi there

 

In my area we can get a group from the council Somerset Waste ACtion Project out who come and give free talks/activities to pre-school and schools and give recycling bins/composters to the facility. I think they do their own bronze eco awards etc. Perhaps your councils provide similar activities.

 

The kids love them coming in we have our next one a wk Monday can't wait.

 

Shelley

[Guest Chubby]

Hi Chubby,

I've been looking at this for a while but haven't committed to doing an award. I think the bit about having the children's input at all stages daunted me a bit - not that I have a problem with it, just that we have a high proportion of very young children at the minute. Any tips?

 

I still haven't progressed I need to write a letter to the parents letting them know what a brilliant opportunity it is to take part, and ask if any of them would be able to contribute. I have just intalled a wormery which our council very kindly offered to all interest settings. We talked about recycling but some of the children are so young I to am a bit unsure how to take it to the next stage.

 

Here's what I have done to involve them so far:

 

(In our area the council have two recycling bags plastics and paper. We also have children from an area where they have the two recyling bins black for waste and green for recycling.)

 

We introduced a pink sock which we the children help name to show the children what worms can eat and what they can't. This invloved me sat inside a black compost bin with a black sleeping bag over my head they couldn't see me at all. Then the worm came out and with my colleagues who had an ample supply of waste:- paper, plastic bottles, glass milk bottle, play foods, etc.

 

So the children were asked what they recycle if any at home, so we had a starting place to show what they knew already. We talked about the diffferent ways waste is collected from our homes. Some of the children were not sure what rubbish they had at home and how it disappeared! You can show this as a starting point to develop from. Surprisingly one of the little ones understood that the dustbin men came and took the rubbish away and that mummy puts different things in different bins.

 

Then from the bag of rubbish my colleague had she asked the children if the worm could eat it, the worm either nodded and took the things down into the compost bin or threw them out of the bin. This was the bit that the children enjoyed they offered the worm lots of things and waited in anticipation to see if it came back up again. Very giggly children.

Since this we have brought the wormery in and they have talked about what we can feed them. We talked about the needs of the worm, dark warm and damp and at snack and lunch time we ask if they have any thing to feed the worms.

Now we have left the sock worm out for role play opportunities and talk about what worms can eat and what we do with what they can't, which bag or bin it goes in?

 

I believe that it is world water day on the 22nd March whether you will be able to get any help form your local water company. I think all of them should have an Education department, ours sent us posters and two discs a PC rom and a DVD. The children enjoy watching the DVD it's called the wet water wizard. I don't know if it is just for our area, but definatley worth you contacting them to see what they offer. They also sent us the save a flush bags that go into the toilet cistern (it's like the traditional brick). This was all free.

 

I hope I haven't bored you, and it has been of a little help. If you have any ideas keep in touch. I shall try and compose a letter to the parents next.

 

thankyou

Chubbs

[Guest Chubby]

Hi there

 

In my area we can get a group from the council Somerset Waste ACtion Project out who come and give free talks/activities to pre-school and schools and give recycling bins/composters to the facility. I think they do their own bronze eco awards etc. Perhaps your councils provide similar activities.

 

The kids love them coming in we have our next one a wk Monday can't wait.

 

Shelley

 

Thankyou

I will give them a go.