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St Leonard's Primary School

Pupils and premises assistants play a hands-on role and collect the recycling sacks once a week and empty them into the larger recycling smart banks.

St Leonard’s Primary School, Lambeth

St.Leonard’s Primary School in Lambeth started its environmental efforts around 1995 with a Nature Garden.

Later they contacted their local council, Lambeth, which provided orange recycling sacks for paper and cardboard recycling. Collection points were set up in each classroom, the offices, staffroom and photocopy room.

Pupils and premises assistants play a hands-on role and collect the recycling sacks once a week and empty them into the larger recycling smart banks. Recycling more of the school’s waste has enabled them to send back one of the normal refuse bins. Because their recycling collection is free, this has saved the school refuse collection charges in the process.

The school composts its garden and organic waste including all its leftovers from the National Fruit and Vegetable Scheme. They have a large wormery in the school garden and also grow their own vegetables.

St Leonard’s is committed to closing the recycling loop by buying recycled products like stationary for its office and they try and get everyone from head teacher, school staff, pupils and parents on board. They have also expanded into other areas like energy and water conservation and travel and transport, for example by encouraging pupils to walk to school.

St Leonard’s has won a Healthy School Award and a Distinction Award for Lambeth in the London School Environment Awards.

Environmental initiatives are now part of every day school life and are firmly integrated in the curriculum, school policy and action plan.

Get your school back on track - book your free RWR programme, consultation and action pack now! Contact education@wastewatch.org.uk or call 02075490324.

On average, every family in the UK uses around 330 glass bottles and jars a year.

Recycling two bottles saves enough energy to boil water for five cups of tea.