Young Environmentalist Society

The Young Environmentalist Society are a keen group of pupils from years 8 - 14 who meet every Monday afternoon 3.30-4.30. As well as growing our own vegetables we monitor and protect the biodiversity of the school grounds.

Annual Report – 2021-22

After just over a year when the Young Environmentalists’ Society was unable to meet, we were delighted to restart with a number of ‘taster events’ for Year 8 pupils in the summer term. The pupils were pleased to have the chance to take part in some pond dipping and nature trails around the school grounds.

In September we were able to restart our weekly meetings, and despite restrictions on the number of year groups we could welcome, we have had a very successful year. We have grown and harvested all sorts of vegetables in the school polytunnel. We have learned about native bird species and made feeders and nesting boxes both for the school grounds and for pupils to take home. In December, we took time to make festive wreaths and other natural, sustainable Christmas decorations. Care for the environment is always top of the agenda at Y.E.S. We have taught the pupils how to make recycled paper and taken advantage of the school’s extensive grounds to plant various species of tree and develop awareness of the natural environment.

Y.E.S. would not be possible without the skill, knowledge and dedication of our senior laboratory technician, Mr. W. Warwick. Having been instrumental in establishing Y.E.S. in the late 1990s, Mr. Warwick has been the driving force behind the projects undertaken over the years. When he retires at the end of this academic year he will be sorely missed in many aspects of school life, but none more so than Y.E.S. where his humour, patience and infectious love of nature have been vital ingredients in the continued success of the Society. The local knowledge and passion for the environment that Mr. Warwick has passed on to Y.E.S. members can never be quantified, but is a legacy for countless pupils who have had the privilege to have their educational experience enriched by him.

Mrs McFarland