FORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
School:
St Anthony’s Special Needs School,
Date of Review:
June 2009
Carried out by:
Eco Schools Action Team
Formal Environmental Review
Page 1 of 13
ENERGY
Is there someone in your school who has special responsibility for monitoring the
consumption of energy (electricity, heating etc.) in the school?
Yes
If there is, who is it?
The Site Premises
Manager
Are the energy meters (e.g. electricity meters) easily visible to pupils?
A little difficult
Are pupils involved in taking and displaying readings?
With help
Has your school taken any of the following low-cost steps to reduce heat loss
through windows?
Draught excluding strips
Solar reflecting film
Responsible class window monitors
In the new build areas
such as the French
room
Do the school windows have double glazing, triple glazing or energy-saving glass?
Yes
If Yes, then in how many rooms? (If all, write all)
All windows apart from
the Infant office
Are any external (outside) doors self-closing?
Yes
If Yes, then how many doors are self-closing? (If all, write all)
Sports hall, exceptional
needs department, fire
exits throughout
Yes
Are any internal (inside) doors self-closing?
If Yes, then how many doors are self-closing? (If all, write all)
ASD and Exceptional
Needs departments
Are low-energy light bulbs and fluorescent tubes used in school?
Yes
If Yes, then in how many rooms?
All
(If all, write all)
Does each classroom have its own heating thermostat?
Yes
If No, then how many rooms have a thermostat? (If none, write none)
Are lights and electrical items turned off when not in use?
Does the school have any of the following sources of renewable energy?
Wind generator
Solar water PV heating panels
Wood fuel boiler
Ground source heat pump
Yes
No
Any further comments on energy:
Infants thermostat is in a place very hard to reach – the building needs updating in the near future and
this is one of the things that will be sorted.
Applied to two schemes for wind generators and solar panels.
Formal Environmental Review
Page 2 of 13
LITTER
The grounds are more
or less litter free
How serious is the problem of rubbish/litter in the school grounds?
Very serious, the place is a mess most of the time
Not too bad, but could be improved
The grounds are more or less litter free
Does your school have a clear anti-litter policy?
Yes
Are there litter bins inside the school buildings?
Yes
How many of these are:
Full – overflowing
All are less than a
quarter full
About half full
Less than a quarter full
Are there any areas inside the school buildings that are littered where there are no
bins?
No
Are there enough litter bins in the school’s grounds?
Yes
How many of these are:
Full – overflowing
All are less than a
quarter full
About half full
Less than a quarter full
Are there any areas in the school grounds that are littered where there are no bins?
No
Are litter bins generally:
Big enough
Yes to all
Correct design (holding in litter when windy)
Clean
Any further comments on litter bins / location of litter:
Formal Environmental Review
Page 3 of 13
WASTE MINIMISATION / RECYCLING
Does the school carefully control the use of resources such as paper, pencils, ink
cartridges, pens, envelopes etc?
No, there seems to be little control
Yes, but control is not very tight
Yes, control of these materials is very strict
Yes, control of these
materials is very strict
Does the school buy stationery products (paper, pencils, pens etc.) made from
recycled content?
Sometimes
Are hand towels and other disposable paper products purchased with recycled
content?
No
Looking into prices
If some, note which products are and which aren’t
Does the school recycle any of the following items of school waste?
 Paper
 Cardboard
 Plastic
 Inkjet cartridges
 Vending machine cups
Please describe other materials recycled batteries ( rechargeable batteries and battery waste bin)
What proportion of school food waste is composted?
75% - 100%
Do you run any other recycling schemes to raise money for the school and / or
involve the local community, e.g. mobile phones, jumble sales?
Yes
Does the school encourage reuse of materials, e.g. water bottles?
Yes
Does the school have any policies to reduce waste?
Yes
Any further comments on waste minimisation / recycling:
Pupils are very active and committed in recycling.
We now use degradable bin bags.
Formal Environmental Review
Page 4 of 13
WATER
Is there a water meter to record water use in school?
Yes
Is the meter easily visible to pupils?
No – having it moved
Are pupils involved in taking and displaying readings?
No
Are the toilets designed to reduce water loss e.g. low-volume flush, flush on demand
urinals etc.?
Yes
If YES, then how many of the toilets are fitted with such devices? (list, or state All)
All
Are hand-basin taps of the push-on or self-stopping type?
Yes
If YES, then how many? (list, or state All)
4
Are taps left running?
Never
Are dripping taps and other leaks fixed quickly?
Yes
If NO, then approximately how long do repairs take?(circle)
How often does the school run water-saving campaigns?
Never
Any further comments on water:
Our water meter is currently on the road. We have asked Portsmouth Water to arrange to have the meter
moved to the boiler house so it is accessible for pupils to read.
Formal Environmental Review
Page 5 of 13
TRANSPORT
Yes
Do you monitor how pupils travel to school?
If yes, how many pupils use the following transport to or from school – note total count of pupils
11 walk
1 bus
1 Cycle
0 share a taxi
2 share a car
12 travel as a single passenger in car
2 train
134 school transport provided by County, we are a special needs school and serve the whole district.
Has this data been mapped?
Yes, it is sent to County once a term
Does the school have dry and secure cycle storage?
Yes
If Yes, is there sufficient space for all users?
Yes
Does the school offer cycle instruction?
Yes
If Yes, does it include on-road training?
Yes
If Yes, does it meet the national standard
Yes
Does the school have a network of ‘safe routes’ to walk or cycle?
No
Does the school have any of the following:
No. We are a special
needs school – most of
our pupils come by
taxis and buses
provided by County
from all over the
district.
Walking bus scheme
Cycle train
Park and stride
Other similar scheme
Does the school organise regular ‘walk to school’ or ‘cycle to school’ events?
N/A
Do any of the school transport vehicles (buses, taxis etc.) run on alternative fuels
such as electricity, land-fill gas or vegetable-derived oils?
No
Does the school have a school travel plan?
Yes
Does the school have a pedestrian and cycle entrance that is separate from vehicle
access?
Yes
Any further comments on transport:
We cater for a wide area of the Chichester District so most pupils come via county transport. We have
Travel Mark 1 and County are looking into ways for us to fairly achieve Travel Mark 2 due to the housing
location of our cohort.
Formal Environmental Review
Page 6 of 13
HEALTHY LIVING
Does the school provide and promote healthier food at break times and lunchtimes?
Yes
Does the school include education on healthier eating and basic food safety practice
in the taught curriculum?
Yes
Is there a system for monitoring whether children eat a balanced lunchtime diet over
the week?
Yes
Does the school have drinking water easily available throughout the day?
Yes
Is there a whole school approach to the promotion of physical activity?
Yes
Does the school offer all pupils a minimum of 2 hours physical activity a week within
and outside the National Curriculum?
Yes
Does the school have a no-smoking policy for staff?
Yes
If Yes, is this followed by all staff including carers, parents and staff?
Yes
Can classroom and other windows be opened to improve ventilation?
Yes
Are there green plants growing in pots in any classrooms?
Yes
If Yes, in which classrooms?
PSD, Sports Hall,
Geography, English,
Food Technology
Room, Art Room
Which of the following are commonly used by teachers?
X chalk
 water based markers
 interactive whiteboard
X solvent based markers
Does the school use environmentally friendly cleaning products?
Yes
Do the school toilets have:
 locks
 toilet paper
 sanitary disposal facilities
 hot water
 some have paper towels
x sanitary product dispensers
Any further comments on healthy living:
Sanitary products can be obtained from the schools medical room
School Council have audited classrooms which haven’t got plants and have set aside some of their
budget to buy some in September. They have already brought each room an indoor watering can and
some plant food in preparation for the plants.
Formal Environmental Review
Page 7 of 13
BIODIVERSITY
Do the school grounds staff use chemical pesticides and herbicides?
Never
Does the school have any plants in containers, pots or beds in the school
grounds?
Yes, lots.
Does the school have a wildlife, or conservation area?
Yes
Yes
If Yes, is the area protected by fences or school rules, or both?
Does the school maintain any of the following?
X Bat boxes
 Bird boxes
 Bird feeders
 Bird baths
 Woodland area (a little)
 Pond
X Squirrel feeders
 Butterfly-friendly plants
 Log piles for invertebrates
 Species records
If any of the above are ticked Yes, are pupils involved in looking after them?
Yes
No
Does the school have links with any local or national environmental
organisations?
If Yes, then with whom? (list) Applied to link with RHS to create further
the wildlife garden area
Any further comments on biodiversity:
Formal Environmental Review
Page 8 of 13
SCHOOL GROUNDS
What proportion (percentage) of the school’s grounds are? (Approximate percentages)
Grass playing field, short grass 44%
Woodland 1%
Conservation or wildlife area 8%
Water or wetland area 1%
Activity play area 10%
Long grass 1%
Tarmac/paths/roads 24%
Flower/vegetable beds 9%
Seating area 2%
What proportion (percentage) of the school boundaries are……..?
Hedges and trees 5%
Wire or railing 75% (much of the wire fencing has hedges and trees growing around it)
Open 20% (between our site and the school next door)
Does the school recycle garden or fruit/vegetable waste in a composter or
wormery?
Do you ever hold lessons or part of lessons outside?
Always
Have pupils looked into the heritage of the school grounds?
Yes
Yes
Any further comments on school grounds:
Worked with HSBC to develop part of the school grounds
Formal Environmental Review
Page 9 of 13
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Do pupils consider how actions taken within the school affect people and the
environment locally and globally?
Yes
If so, please give examples:
Local Action
Local Effect
Global Effect
Don’t drop litter
Cleaner streets
Foreigners
impressed with
tidyness of country
Buying Fair Trade
bananas/clothes
More will be
available
Boosts economy in
poorer communities
Walk or cycle to
work/school
Less pollution and
congestion
Less gases created,
slows down global
warming
Of the Eco-Schools topics that you may have looked at in the past, have you
explored how these issues might be approached in other parts of the world?
Yes
If so, please give examples:
Eco-Schools topic
Location(s) looked at
Water
Africa
Biodiversity
Rain Forest, desert
Global perspectives
Variety of locations within the
‘World’s Children’s Prize for the
Rights of a Child.’
Are the opportunities for considering global environmental issues maximised
through the curriculum?
Yes
Has the school made use of materials from other organisations to help with
this topic?
Yes
Have the pupils considered other issues, such as
Human rights and ethics?
Fair Trade?
Conflict Resolution?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Any further comments on global issues:
Formal Environmental Review
Page 10 of 13
PUPIL PARTICIPATION
Yes
Do any of the issues considered in this environmental review feature in
school assemblies?
If Yes, then list those in the last term, detailing the topic covered.
Water – how precious it is; ideas for saving at home and school.
Energy – Turn lights off and standby button (with permission) off; why
and effects etc…
School Grounds – update on development
Are special environment-related lessons or visits undertaken by classes or
groups e.g. paper making, visits to environmental venues etc?
Yes
If Yes, then list those in the last term, detailing the topic covered.
Recycling bus came to the school for key stage 4 and year 9 – all
aspects of recycling was covered.
Eco-Schools project in Year 7 – using ‘The Pod’ as main resource to
help meet energy and water targets identified in our Action Plan.
Recycling – Small group of pupils in Year 9 made posters, laminated
them and stuck on all recycling bins to inform everyone in school what
to put in the recycling bins.
Biodiversity – Year 11 worked outside in wildlife and growing areas to
help set up area for whole school to use.
Yes
Are pupils involved with local waste/recycling/conservation etc. projects
outside school time or via links with schools abroad etc ?
If Yes, then list some examples:
 Voluntary gardening at local residential home
 Helping an elderly neighbour with garden
 Year 7 pupil won an award fron Chichester District Council and
has been entered into nation wide award for designing a flower
bed in a local park.
 Year 10 pupil involved with a recycling project at Aldingbourne
Trust.
 Group of pupils water flower troughs at Chichester train station
with the Acorn Centre.
Formal Environmental Review
Page 11 of 13
Comments / Notes for Action
On completion of the Environmental Review fill in the following boxes with any comments
relating to each topic and list possible actions that could be taken. Some of these actions
can then be used in your Action Plan
Energy
Continue with good work regarding turning off lights and electrical devices
when not in use, especially into late Autumn term when it will be darker.
Collect energy bill and reading at end of year.
Look into visibility of a wind generator and solar panels
Litter
Take part in ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ campaign.
Use a group of pupils to monitor and pick up any litter in the lane leading up to
our school gates.
Waste Minimisation / Recycling
Recycling bin installed on the playground.
Continue to look into good prices of recycling stationary and paper towels
wherever possible.
Continue with excellent progress made with recycling, waste and composting.
Water
Run a water saving campaign
Move water meter
Make signs up and display in toilets to remind pupils to wash hands and turn
taps off.
Transport
Chase County about our Travel Mark 2 Award – how to make it achievable for
the special needs schools in this area.
Formal Environmental Review
Page 12 of 13
Healthy Living
Update and apply for second Healthy Schools Award (previous one runs out in
December 2009).
Continue to monitor healthy tuck shop at break times.
School Council to buy plants for classrooms in September.
Promote cycling – extended schools bike clubs for beginners and mountain
bike treks.
Promote walking – rambling club (staff and pupils)
Biodiversity
Run a wildlife club
Build and promote species record
Look for links with environmental organisations
Link up with RHS to work on wildlife area and school grounds.
School Grounds
Enter flower borders and displays into Chichester in Bloom competition.
Use results from pupil attitude survey on new garden area to make
improvements.
Hold a ‘school grounds’ day where parents, governors, staff and pupils can
undertake a variety of activities and projects to further maximize our school
grounds.
Global Perspectives
Use our new link with school in China to find out what they do and how they
manage their eco education.
Link up with global organizations to maximize message for pupils.
Pupil Participation
Encourage pupils to report work/ideas they have done outside of school time
and record.
Formal Environmental Review
Page 13 of 13