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ECO SCHOOLS HOMEPAGE
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The Cooper School has now gained the second
of the three stages recently when it
completed all the actions needed to gain the
Silver Award. The award acknowledges the
preparation and set up work for commencing
the Eco School process and the work
continuing work on measures designed to
decrease the school’s Eco ‘footprint’ by
reducing energy usage, increasing recycling
and various other measures |
The
school continues to examine many of its practises and
procedures and is working on ways of improving usage
from an environmental prospective. All staff and
students are aware of the project with posters next to
each light switch around the school reminding them to
switch off lights. The next stage of the project
involves working towards the prestigious Green Flag
Award which is much more detailed and requires a full
evidence portfolio. It is hoped that the Green Flag
Award can be gained by Summer 2010.
If you are interested in becoming involved in this
project please contact Mr Cook at the school.
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School
gains first award for Eco School Status.
The Cooper
School gained the first of the three stages recently
when it completed all the actions needed to gain the
Bronze Award.
The award
acknowledges the preparation and set up work for
commencing the Eco School process and work is now
underway to gain the next stage award, the Silver Award
which is hoped to be completed by the end of the summer
term.
So far the
school has examined many of its practises and procedures
and has identified areas to work on. This includes Water
conservation and increased recycling. Each and every one
of the school’s toilet cisterns now have water saving
devices installed and the school recently took delivery
of 50 recycling boxes and 2 recycling skips.
If you are
interested in becoming involved in this project please
contact Mr Cook at the school.
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As you may know the school is expanding to include a
sixth from
block. One of the impacts on this will be to increase
our usage of gas and electricity as well as using more
paper and other materials. That, together with building
on what is likely to be a green area will have a
detrimental effect on the school’s carbon footprint.
This comes at a time when environmental issues are
rising higher up everyone’s agenda and coincidentally
the school has just started working towards gaining Eco
School Status. Gaining Eco School status comes in three
stages, Bronze, Silver & Green Flag and is not just
about recycling paper. It covers many areas including
recycling but also reducing energy costs, saving water,
keeping the school litter free, eliminating the use of
aerosols, closing windows and doors when the heating is
on, using recycled products and creating areas for
wildlife to flourish.
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In order to progress we have established a working group
comprising staff, students, governors, parents and local
businesses and have identified 11 areas for action which
cover the topics above. Our aim is to gain our Bronze
award by Easter, our Silver award by the end of the
current school year and the prestigious Green Flag award
by July 2010. |
ECO MISSION
STATEMENT
In line with the work being carried
out to gain Eco School Status, the working party has
developed its own mission statement on the theme of
‘More for less’.
The Cooper School Eco Mission Statement (More for less)
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Maintain
our grounds
Open our minds to change
Reduce our carbon footprint
Expand our knowledge
Find alternatives to waste
Opt to walk or cycle (not use cars)
Recycle as much as possible
Learn how to be eco friendly
Eat healthily
Save resources (gas electricity
water)
Share our vision |
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If you want to get involved in this worthwhile project
please contact Steve Cook at the school.
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BRINGING ECO
INTO THE CLASSROOM.
As part of Environmental Science,
Year x students were tasked to design and build a model
of an eco friendly house. The students did themselves
proud and produced some outstanding models, many of
which are on display in the classrooms.
  
The models included standard items
such as double glazing but some of the more innovative
models had ‘grass roofs’, wind turbines and solar
panels.
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Lights go out at
school.
As part of the project to
gain Eco School Status, students from The Cooper School in Bicester were invited
to design a poster reminding everyone to switch off lights wherever possible.
Almost 50 entries were received and the Eco School working party finally decided
of four runners up and two overall winners. 
The winning entries were professionally produced
by Paul Bradbury of BDA, graphic design
professionals of Bicester who came into the
school and worked with the winning students
showing them how posters can be produced.
At a recent assembly Steve Creed, Director of
Business Growth for WRAP (Waste & Resources
Action Programme) presented prizes to the
winning students. The WRAP (Waste & Resources
Action Programme) organisation is a government
funded group which helps individuals, businesses
and local authorities to reduce waste and
recycle more, making better use of resources and
helping to tackle climate change. In keeping
with the Eco School theme the prizes consisted
of pencil cases, pens and pencils made from
recycled materials together with information
cards on recycling, in addition the two main
winners received ‘Love food, Hate waste’ aprons.
The School’s Business Manager, Steve Cook, said,
“The quality and quantity of the entries
surprised us all, there were some quite
brilliant ideas and shows that our students are
well aware of the environmental issues we face.
The posters will be produced and prominently
placed around the school site in order to remind
everyone to switch off those unwanted lights.” |
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