Last Friday, we held our first ever ‘Climate Action Day’. The day was held in response to the ‘Youth Strikes’ that have been taking place around the world in 2019.

We were lucky to have lots of visitors in school to support us. Our visitors included representatives from REAP (Roundhay Environmental Action Project), who worked with Years Three and Four who were learning about the carbon footprint of the food we eat; student members of the Youth Strike 4 Climate activist groups from Leeds University and Notre Dame college, who gave our Year Five and Six children an ‘activist workshop’; two Leeds University students who are studying sustainability, and worked with Year Five and Six on a ‘sustainable city’ activity; academics from Leeds University who wanted to meet our staff and children to find out what the day was about; and four representatives from Garforth in Bloom who spoke to Key Stage 1 about plant growth and bees. Our three local council representatives, Mark Dobson, Sarah Field and Suzanne McCormack, also visited the school in the afternoon to meet with our eco-council.

The children spent the day learning about why we need to protect our planet and what actions we can take, as individuals and as a school. We discussed small changes we can make in our own day to day lives that will make a difference, and we will be following up by writing letters to elected officials and business leaders, visiting the Leeds recycling facility with our eco-council and creating an action plan to improve sustainability in our school.

As ever, our children were fantastic and made a wonderful impression on the different visitors who came into school over the course of the day:

“Amazing enthusiasm and well-informed children!” (Roundhay Environmental Action Project)

“Thank you so much. You’ve inspired us!” (The Climate Press)

“Inspiring stuff!” (Roundhay Environmental Action Project)

“It was a real pleasure. The children are a credit to the school!” (Councillor Sarah Field)