School’s green flag winning streak continues

Children at a Whitley Bay school have won a sixth consecutive Eco Green Flag for their environmental work.

Students at Coquet Park First School were granted the international award – with merit – for the work they do to make their school more eco-friendly and raising awareness of environmental issues.

With the environment firmly a part of their curriculum, the children have taken part in a range of projects to reduce the school’s energy consumption and make it more sustainable.

They raised hundreds of pounds for charity by selling homegrown produce from the school allotment, and by selling arts and crafts made from recycled materials.

The school has held the Green Flag award longer than any other in North Tyneside.

Headteacher, Colleen Ward, said: “We are extremely proud to be awarded the Eco Green Flag with merit for the sixth time. Eco work is embedded into our curriculum, led by our enthusiastic Green Ambassadors, and dedicated school staff. They work incredibly hard to develop new projects each year and continue the valued work from previous awards. A fantastic achievement!”

Green activities at the school include Eco Days, energy conservation initiatives such as Switch Off Fortnight, and charity work to support causes such as the World Vision program.

Councillor Sandra Graham, Cabinet Member for the Climate Emergency, attended a flag-raising ceremony and praised the children for their efforts.

She said: “It’s a wonderful achievement to win this award six years in a row. The commitment and enthusiasm shown by these young children is so impressive, and the award is a testament to all their hard work. What’s even more impressive is that they’ve been recognised with merit. It’s a proud moment for the children and their families, and the whole of North Tyneside.”