Gaelscoil na mBeann in Kilkeel has been awarded a prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag by the environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.
The Eco-Schools Programme is the world’s largest Environmental Education programme and aims to make environmental awareness and action an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of a school. Its participatory approach and combination of learning and action makes it an ideal way for schools to begin improving the environments of schools and their local communities.
Eco-Schools work through a simple seven-step process resulting in the programme becoming central to the school's ethos. Schools can choose from ten eco-topics ranging from litter and waste to energy, biodiversity and transport to name a few. Eco-Schools work towards achieving awards - bronze, silver and the prestigious Green Flag.
The internationally recognised Green Flag is this highest award given to Eco-Schools and symbolises excellence in the field of environmental activity.
The Green Flag application is a 2 year process and we were delighted as a school to submit our application as Gaeilge to Eco-Schools.
Throughout this time, our whole school focused on 4 key topics:
Biodiversity - We planted apple and pear trees in the field with help from our neighbours at Mourne Stimulus; we planted potatoes as part of the Grow your own Potatoes initiative we completed a bird watch survey as well as our Rang a hAon pupils creating their own bird feeders to hang at school.
Litter - The Eco-Committe led a beach clean up at Leestone as part of the Adopt a Spot initiative to keep our coastal areas clean; we completed a Big Spring Clean at school and also invested in new bins around school to ensure litter was being out into the bins nd that we were recycling as much as we can.
Healthy Living - Gaelscoil na mBeann promote healthy living at school through our healthy eating policy; we take part in the Míle Órga (Golden Mile); we run an afterschool PE club facilitated by Healthy Kidz once a week; our school running club takes place every Wednesday and Friday at lunch time; we promote student wellbeing through activities such as Cúig in Airde; our school has successfully taken part in the Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel to school as well as our Eco-Committee now selling fresh fruit to pupils this term to encourage healthy eating throughout the school. Many thanks to Spar, Newcastle Road Kilkeel who kindly sponsored some of the fruit.
Waste - We have a school uniform swap shop to help reduce the amount of waste by reusing old school clothes. We also have a Cash for Clobber system where we can raise funds for the Eco-Committee by recycling fabric and materials.
Thanks to our Eco-Committe members, Mícheál, Múinteoir Clár and our whole school community along with Mourne Stimulus who helped us plant our fruit trees.
The International Eco-Schools Programme is operated in Northern Ireland by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and is a free to enter programme. Please visit
www.eco-schoolsni.org for further information.
Comhghairdeas leis an tÉicea-Choiste as an éacht iontach seo a bhaint amach! Tá muid ag dúil go mór lenár spriocanna nua a roghnú don bhliain seo chugainn.
