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West Downs Day Nursery children celebrate Eco-Week

Green-fingered children from West Downs Day Nursery in Winchester were delighted to breathe new life into the garden as they took part in initiatives to mark Eco-Week.

At the award-winning setting on Romsey Road, pre-schoolers started by learning about child-safe plants that are native to the United Kingdom, before researching ones they could plant in their garden to help give a boost to threatened species. Following this, children used their tools to spread new soil in the bedding areas, before planting an array of seeds.

As part of the experience, children learnt of the steps they could take to help the seeds grow, as well as how to tend to the other plants in the garden. Meanwhile, families were delighted to be given their own seed bags and growing cards as part of the nursery’s parent partnership initiative, enabling children to continue the learning opportunity at home.

At West Downs, children take part in sustainable activities all year round, from creating habitats for animals to crafting with natural materials, leading them to earn a prestigious ‘Green Flag’, the highest accolade in the international Eco-Schools programme, which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices.

West Downs Day Nursery Team Leader, Danni Markwick explained;

“We had a fantastic time planting in our garden and the children were thrilled to be able to share this experience with their families back at home. Our nursery parents are sending in pictures of their progress and we have been using this to link back to the topic. This has created lots of excitement and has really engaged the children in the Eco-Week festivities.”

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Creating a buzz at Windmill Hill Day Nursery

Following an interest in insects and their life cycles, children from Windmill Hill Day Nursery in Swindon were delighted to welcome a grandparent to the setting to learn all about bees.

Sharing their expert knowledge as a keen beekeeper, pre-schoolers from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Windmill Hill Business Park were captivated as they listened to facts from their special guest, including why bees are so important to our ecosystem, the boost that beekeeping gives to the bee population and the process of how honey is made.

As part of the learning experience, children were inspired to take to the gardens to find out how they could encourage more bees to their outside spaces in the warmer summer months, as well as discussing why we must look after the plants and wildlife in our environment.

At Windmill Hill, children take part in sustainable activities all year round, from planting and growing vegetables to crafting with natural materials, leading them to earn a prestigious ‘Green Flag’, the highest accolade in the international Eco-Schools programme, which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices.

Windmill Hill Day Nursery Quality Manager, Karamay Pritchett explained;

“It’s really important for us to involve our families and wider community in our interests in nursery as this can help to create so many rich learning opportunities. It’s lovely for our guests to be able to share their passion, whilst having a real influence on the children, who are always delighted to have visitors. The pre-schoolers show so much enthusiasm towards our eco-projects and we believe this will stand them in great stead for the rest of their lives.”

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Sandfield Day Nursery children delight with eco-friendly Easter bonnets

Festivities were well underway at Sandfield Day Nursery in Headington as children proudly showcased their homemade Easter bonnets for a special competition at the setting.

Having been tasked with making their bonnets from environmentally friendly and ecologically conscious materials, pre-schoolers from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Sandfield Road were delighted to get creative with their families, with resources used including an Easter egg box and flowers from a nursery parent’s wedding bouquet.

As part of the celebrations, children were able to parade their creations around the nursery, whilst partaking families each made a £2 donation to The Trussell Trust as part of Sandfield’s year-long fundraising and donation drive to help feed local people.

At Sandfield, children take part in sustainable activities all year round, from planting and growing vegetables to crafting with natural materials, leading them to earn a prestigious ‘Green Flag’, the highest accolade in the international Eco-Schools programme, which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices.

Sandfield Day Nursery Business Administrator, Becci Worth explained;

“The Easter Bonnet Competition was an amazing success and we were blown away by the imagination and effort that went into the designs. Our families are amazing at getting behind the worthy causes we support and we are delighted to be making this donation to the Trussell Trust, along with Easter eggs and essential food items to benefit the community.”

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Getting close to nature at Hampstead Gate Day Nursery

Having been inspired by the RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch, children from Hampstead Gate Day Nursery in Milton Keynes were delighted to create their very own bird feeders.

After spotting an array of different species in the garden, pre-schoolers from the setting on Eelbrook Avenue showcased their creativity by crafting the bird feeders using recycled materials and seeds, mixing and moulding, before proudly hanging them in their outdoor spaces to encourage more wildlife into the environment for all to observe and enjoy.

As part of the learning experience, children discussed different types of birds and what they eat in the wild, as well as discussing the ingredients used to create the bird feeders.

At Hampstead Gate, children take part in sustainable activities all year round, from planting and growing vegetables to crafting with natural materials, leading them to earn a prestigious ‘Green Flag’, the highest accolade in the international Eco-Schools programme, which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices.

Hampstead Gate Day Nursery Eco-Representative, Rachael Wright explained;

“The children were hugely excited to take part in the bird feeder making activity and this provided so many valuable learning opportunities. We are now hoping to extend our activities around this topic and welcome some rarer breeds into the garden.”

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Greengables Day Nursery children receive letter from David Attenborough

Young environmental enthusiasts from Greengables Day Nursery in Owlsmoor were delighted to receive a letter from legendary conservationist David Attenborough, having written to him following an interest in the ocean and sea turtles.

At the award-winning setting on Yeovil Road, pre-schoolers were thrilled to adopt their own marine turtle with the WWF, which inspired them to write to Sir David with their questions, which included ‘Do turtles have teeth?’ and ‘Have you ever seen or swam with a turtle?’

In his handwritten response, Sir David thanked the children for their letter and answered their burning questions, informing them that turtles did not have teeth and that he had previously swam with hawksbill sea turtles, which are critically endangered.

Greengables Day Nursery Deputy Manager, Julia Grant explained;

“We were over the moon to receive this letter from David Attenborough as he is a wonderful role model and an inspiration to us all at nursery. The children have a huge amount of care and respect for the environment a lot of interest in this topic, so to have such a special reply means a lot and is something we will cherish for years to come.”

Greengables Day Nursery are the proud holders of the ‘Green Flag’ award from Eco-Schools, the highest accolade in the internationally recognised programme which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices.

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Childbase Partnership is Eco-Schools Early Years Provider of the Year

A new award was created for the employee-owned Childbase Partnership in the international Eco-Schools programme after it broke records by achieving at least one Green Flag – the highest accolade for exceptional environmental conservation and awareness – in each of its day nurseries.

Childbase Partnership was named ‘Early Years Provider of the Year’ and ‘an incredible Eco-Schools standard-bearer’ in the Eco-School Annual Awards because all 43-day nurseries in the South of England (2021/2022) not only achieved a Green flag but 23 achieved this with Distinction and 6 with Merit. This a record in Eco-Schools history.

Adam Flint, National Manager, Eco-Schools England and Education Manager, Keep Britain Tidy, said:

“We’ve decided to change the award this year to recognise your incredible achievement. It’s usually ‘Nursery School of the Year’. There wasn’t really any other choice given your incredible achievement. You and your children can feel immensely proud of the great work that you’ve put in. We’re very lucky to have you engaged with our programme.”

Amongst the best Eco-Schools achievers at the company is the Ofsted-rated Outstanding Rowan Tree in Welwyn Garden City, which has achieved four consecutive Green Flags, and accepted the award via a video message at the on-line awards ceremony.

The first Green Flag at Childbase Partnership was awarded to the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Lime Grove in Hemel Hempstead in October 2017.

There are Eco Committees in every nursery with practitioners and pre-schoolers leading activities which include monitoring recycling efforts, ensuring taps are not left running , unnecessary lights are switched off, and that knowledge about conservation is shared.

Childbase Partnership nurseries send zero waste to landfill and are powered by Green Electricity from falling water, the sun, wind and organic waste material.

Link: Eco – Schools Award Ceremony 2023 – YouTube

Rowan Tree video: https://vimeo.com/791107742/b0b2cc6725

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Hampstead Gate Day Nursery children embark on acorn planting mission

Following an important appeal from The Parks Trust, children from Hampstead Gate Day Nursery in Milton Keynes were delighted to take to the garden outside to plant acorns.

The project, which was motivated by the ash dieback which is killing vast amounts of ash trees across the country, called for local people to plant acorns in pots and nurture them for two years, before returning them to be planted in ancient woodlands across the area.

At the award-winning setting on Eelbrook Avenue, pre-schoolers have enjoyed supporting the campaign, all whilst learning about the important role they are playing to maintain nearby habitats and eco-systems, as well as co-researching the life cycle of an acorn.

To support the learning experience, families have also been collecting autumnal resources on weekend walks which the children have used to create collages as well as other crafts.

It is for such activities that Hampstead Gate have earnt a prestigious ‘Green Flag’ award, the highest accolade in the internationally-recognised Eco-Schools programme, which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices.

Pre-schoolers take part in a curriculum of sustainable activities all year round, from growing herbs and vegetables which are used in meals to making habitats for wildlife, all whilst learning key educational messages, including the importance of nutrition to healthy lifestyles.

Hampstead Gate Day Nursery Team Leader, Ashleigh Smith explained;

“We are thrilled to be taking part in the acorn collection initiative this year and believe this will create a lovely lasting legacy, even after our children have left the nursery. This has also presented a range of learning opportunities as well as teaching responsibility, patience and awareness about the issues impacting our environment and how we can help.”

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Getting close to nature at Hampstead Gate Day Nursery

Pre-schoolers from Hampstead Gate Day Nursery in Milton Keynes were delighted to witness the life cycle of a butterfly first hand, thanks to a special live growing and observation kit at the setting, before gathering in the garden to set them free.

At the award-winning setting on Eelbrook Avenue, children were captivated as they watched the caterpillars transform into a chrysalis over the weeks, before emerging as butterflies in their final stages. The group then took to the garden outside, where they released the creatures and even dressed up as them in inspired outfits to mark the occasion.

Following on from this, children were keen to co-research the different types of butterflies that are native to the UK using books and the smart board, as well as investigating the steps they could take to attract more of them to the garden in the warmer months.

It is for such activities that Hampstead Gate have been awarded a prestigious Green Flag as part of the international Eco-Schools scheme, the highest accolade is the programme, which is given for exceptional environmental conservation and awareness practices.

Hampstead Gate Day Nursery Team Leader, Ashleigh Smith explained;

“We had a brilliant few weeks watching the caterpillars transform into butterflies and everyone was fascinated to watch this process in person. This was such a rich learning experience for the children, which has also provided them with a deeper understanding of both metamorphosis and the natural world around them.”

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Top of the crops at Knowle Green Day Nursery

There were exciting learning opportunities at every turn for children at Knowle Green Day Nursery in Staines as they took to the garden outside to pick their homegrown crops.

Having grown a successful harvest of tomatoes and peppers in their allotment area, budding young horticulturists from the award-winning setting on Knowle Green were delighted to pick the ripened produce, which was then enjoyed by the group as part of their daily snack.

It is for such activities that Knowle Green have earnt a prestigious ‘Green Flag’ award, the highest accolade in the internationally-recognised Eco-Schools programme, which is awarded for exceptional environmental awareness and conservation practices.

Pre-schoolers take part in a curriculum of sustainable activities all year round, from crafting with natural and recycled materials to making habitats for wildlife, all whilst learning key educational messages, including the importance of nutrition to healthy lifestyles.

Knowle Green Day Nursery Deputy Manager, Chelsea Basley explained;

“The children love tending to their allotment area and this has been such a rewarding process for everyone involved. They have loved tracking the progress of their crops, and these initiatives offer a host of benefits, including aiding concentration, encouraging responsibility and gaining a better insight into where our food comes from.”

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Top environmental award for Lavenders Day Nursery pre-schoolers

After receiving a prestigious ‘Green Flag’ award in 2020 as part of the international Eco-Schools scheme, children and practitioners from Lavenders Day Nursery in Bedford were delighted to learn they had gained the esteemed accreditation once more, with a distinction.

The accolade, which is the highest achievement in the programme, has been awarded to the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ setting on Bushmead Avenue, following a sustained environmental project which involves children of all ages, from babies using recycled shredder paper for sensory activities, to older children creating bug hotels for insect observations and growing vegetables which are then used in meals by Nursery Chefs.

Activities, which also include crafting with natural and recycled materials, are designed to promote the development of personal, social and emotional life skills as well as introducing the children to basic maths, science and environmental messages.

Following their submission, Lavenders were commended by assessors who praised their passionate eco-committee, consisting of children who drive forward ideas for change, as well as colleagues Karolina Rajkowska, Angie O’Boyle, Rachel Strangwick and Heather Bull.

Delighted Lavenders Quality Manager, Oli Baucutt, said the award was the result of years of continuous dedication by staff and children, working together in the programme, which involves millions of children across 70 countries.

“We aim to give children the best possible future here at Lavenders and looking after the environment plays a huge part in that. The respect and care the children have for the nature around them is inspiring to see and bodes well for their adult lives”, he explained.

Category: Eco/Environment

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West Downs Day Nursery children celebrate Eco-Week

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Creating a buzz at Windmill Hill Day Nursery

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Sandfield Day Nursery children delight with eco-friendly Easter bonnets

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Getting close to nature at Hampstead Gate Day Nursery

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Greengables Day Nursery children receive letter from David Attenborough

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Childbase Partnership is Eco-Schools Early Years Provider of the Year

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Hampstead Gate Day Nursery children embark on acorn planting mission

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Getting close to nature at Hampstead Gate Day Nursery

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Top of the crops at Knowle Green Day Nursery

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Top environmental award for Lavenders Day Nursery pre-schoolers

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