A COVENTRY primary school is making firm commitments to the environment by planting dozens of new trees in a new ‘eco area’ for its pupils.
Staff and pupils at Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School, part of the Romero Catholic Academy, planted more than 100 saplings of all different kinds between them to help create a new outdoor area for pupils to learn in.
The project was one of the first undertaken by the school’s newly-formed Eco Council, which was set up to enable them to become more environmentally friendly.
Michala Blackwell, the Eco Council’s leader at Good Shepherd, Spring Road, Little Heath, Coventry, indicated the new areas could be used for forest schooling – where pupils learn in an outdoor, natural environment – in the near future.
She said: “As a Catholic school, we need to be doing our bit to help improve the environment, whether that’s initiatives to combat climate change, or projects like this to create greener spaces for our pupils.
“We’re hoping the planted trees will enable us to start a forest school at Good Shepherd, which will allow our pupils to learn new skills and build their confidence in an outdoor environment.
“It’s so important to make sure our pupils have meaningful outdoor experiences as well as stimulating lessons in the classroom to ensure they have a well-rounded education.
“And with environmental issues becoming more important than ever before, it’s crucial our pupils understand how to look after it and appreciate the natural world around them.”
The trees were donated by conservation charity The Woodland Trust, which encouraged schools across the country to apply for a ‘tree pack’ which they could then plant in their grounds.
The Trust granted Good Shepherd’s application and donated a pack which contained 130 deciduous trees of many different varieties.
Staff and pupils planted them in batches throughout the day to create the new woodland area.
Andy McConville, Principal of Good Shepherd, said: “Although the trees are only young saplings now, we hope planting them will help us to develop the nature area of the school.
“The children who have planted trees today will leave a lasting legacy on the school for many years to come.”
