Sustainability

Sustainability Statement and Action Plan (2025–26)

At Ashley Down Primary School, we are committed to creating a greener, healthier future for our pupils, staff, and wider community. Sustainability is embedded across our curriculum, operations, and school culture, and we are proud to be part of a growing movement to protect our planet for future generations.

We align our work with the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, which sets out a vision for the education sector to play a leading role in responding to climate change.

Our Sustainability Priorities

Increase biodiversity across the school site
Reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint
Promote active and sustainable travel
Foster pupil-led environmental responsibility
Work towards becoming a carbon neutral school

We have begun calculating our carbon emissions and are committed to publishing our progress annually.

Curriculum Integration

Sustainability themes are embedded across our curriculum, particularly in:

Science, Geography, and PSHE
Our Life Learning Curriculum, which supports pupils in developing values and skills for responsible citizenship
Eco Council-led assemblies and campaigns
Annual Eco Week and themed workshops that engage pupils in environmental learning and action

Operational Actions

Energy Efficiency

LED lighting installed throughout the school
Boiler timings optimised for efficient energy use
Staff and pupils encouraged to turn off lights and computers when not in use

Waste Reduction

Battery and pen recycling stations installed
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” campaigns led by pupils
Litter-picking initiatives to maintain a clean playground
Taps automatically cut off with children encouraged to use water sparingly

Biodiversity Initiatives

Partnership with Butterfly Conservation to enhance playground biodiversity
Plans to establish a Gardening Club
Installation of a Living Wall to support pollinators and green the school site

You can see the impact of this in a video which was partly filmed in the Ashley Down Primary School playground.

Living wall and biodiversity project video

Active Travel & Community Engagement

Participation in the ModeShift STARS programme
Daily School Street road closure to encourage walking and scooting
Engagement with BCC School Streets and Playing Out programmes
Assemblies led by BCC Sustainable Travel Lead to promote carbon-conscious travel
Encouraging Active Travel to School

Our walking route map shows 5 and 10 minute zones around the school, helping families see how close they live. If you're within these zones, we encourage you to walk, cycle or scoot to school instead of driving. If you live further away, consider parking outside the zone and walking the rest of the way as part of a Park and Stride scheme. Choosing active travel helps reduce traffic and pollution, improves road safety, and supports children’s physical and mental wellbeing.

ashley down primary school 510minute map 1 .pdf

Pupil Leadership & Eco Club Celebration

Eco Council meets regularly with Eco Leads to champion pupil-led sustainability actions. Pupils lead initiatives on recycling, litter reduction, and energy saving, and play an active role in shaping our sustainability goals.

Celebrating the Planet Protectors – 2024–25

Last year, we celebrated a truly inspiring group of pupils – the children who founded and led our school’s eco club: the Planet Protectors.

It began at the end of Year 4, when they approached Mrs Sood with an idea to create a podcast about environmental issues. With Mrs Wladimirov’s support, that idea grew into a fully self-run eco club.

Over the years, they have:

Picked up litter around school grounds
Promoted recycling and sustainability
Led assemblies and educated younger pupils
Designed and led an interview process to recruit and train the next generation of Planet Protectors

Their legacy is one of creativity, commitment, and leadership. During the Leavers Assembly 2025, they were honoured with certificates and gifts, and their achievements were recognised in front of the whole school.

Eco Club Inspiration – Avon Schools Eco Network

As part of their journey, the Eco Club took part in a special session led by Tom from the Avon Schools Eco Network, who brought in a kestrel to inspire the children and connect them with the natural world.

This hands-on experience helped pupils explore the importance of ecosystems, native species, and habitat conservation, sparking meaningful conversations about how human activity affects wildlife and what children can do to protect local habitats.

Thank you, Planet Protectors – you’ve truly made a difference.

Monitoring & Reporting

Termly reviews by Eco Council and staff leads
Annual sustainability report published on the school website
Feedback from pupils and families used to shape future actions
Carbon emissions tracking introduced in 2025–26