Cardinal Wiseman RC School, Coventry is the 2009 winner of The DCSF Award for Sustainable Schools, presented at October's Teaching Awards ceremony.
Cardinal Wiseman was one of the first schools to gain Specialist School Rural Dimension status. It has a national reputation for its farm and gardens, earning a visit from the Prince of Wales last year, who was given a scarf made from alpaca wool, cultivated on its farm.
Pupils participate in the schools Animal Club, Garden Club and schemes such as Environmental Monitors. Locally, the school organises an annual Pet Show, and Farm Trail visits from primary schools. Students produce their own Fairtrade Tea named Cardinal Tea, and have secured distribution deals with local supermarkets and farm shops, with plans to expand the business to include chocolate production.
Improvements to school grounds have included a programme of tree-planting, as well as the installation of bat and bird boxes around the site. Awareness of waste and energy reduction reduced the electricity bill by 15,000 in one year.
For more details of the 2009 Teaching Awards winners visit:
www.teachingawards.com/winners/ |
