Pupils at Barnard Grove Primary School have won an award for their efforts to tackle climate change.
Ad Astra Academy Trust primary schools met up recently at the ARC in Stockton-on-Tees for Pupil Action Conference 2023.
The initiative was part of Let’s Go Zero – a national campaign uniting pupils, teachers and parents to enable schools to become zero carbon by 2030.
At the event, individual schools set out ideas to reduce their carbon footprint before an audience of teachers, parents and governors.
Chris Simmons, chair of Ad Astra Academy Trust praised all the schools for their excellent presentations, describing all the children as “marvellous”.
Mr Simmons said there was very little to separate the schools but presented the trophy to Barnard Grove Primary School for their wide range of initiatives including a major clothing and textile recycling scheme.
Helen Durnion, School Improvement Lead for Ad Astra Academy Trust, said: “It is fantastic that our children are at the heart of the efforts for schools to become carbon zero by 2030.
“After all, it is the children of today and future generations that could be adversely affected the most if immediate action isn’t taken to protect the planet.
There were also presentations at the event from Greenpeace and Hartlepool firm J & B Recycling.
Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Ad Astra Academy Trust, added: “This is an opportunity for all schools within our Trust to take positive action to reduce their carbon impact.
“The actions that our schools are taking reach far beyond the school gates, inspiring families and the wider community to tackle the climate crisis which is hugely important.”
Ad Astra Academy Trust was formed in 2015 and over the last seven years has grown across the Tees Valley, providing education for over 3,000 pupils and 500 employees in Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool.
There are eight primary schools within Ad Astra Academy Trust. They are Barnard Grove, Brougham, West Park and West View in Hartlepool, Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees and Ayresome and Sunnyside in Middlesbrough.