Sustainability Projects at Goldstone
A focus on sustainability is helping pupils reflect on environmental issues in an informed way. Ofsted July 2023
Our City Our World
We are amongst the first schools to be the proud recipients of the Our City Our World Gold Award, the highest level of award.
The judges commented - "Its always so inspiring to hear what’s going on at Goldstone. Thanks for all the effort and expertise you add to the programme."
Our City, Our World school mission statement
We strive for our school to be a happy and sustainable place for the Goldstone community, committing to providing a broad education encompassing green values in a safe, inclusive and supportive environment.
We teach our children positive life skills and we encourage them to become confident, resilient, creative thinkers who are ready for our changing world.
By educating our children and building their relationship with the natural environment we will inspire them to become change makers.
Our children are the future.
We have a strategy group that is overseeing how we can make Goldstone a more sustainable school across all areas- from our curriculum to our organisational practices and procurement. Please email raphaelaharris@goldstone.brighton-hove.sch.uk to get involved.
We are asking families to be a part of the project. You will be receiving pings about pledges you can make at home that will have a big impact on our local environment, collectively we have the potential to make big changes!
Click here to watch a video about Goldstone's involvement with the OCOW project.
Click here for further information about the OCOW project across schools in Brighton and Hove.
Eco Schools 'Green Flag' Award
Goldstone are thrilled to have been an awarded a distinction for their green flag renewal, the highest level of award. We are also really pleased with the feedback given to us by the eco schools assessors:
Your Eco-Committee was elected democratically, which is a fair and mature approach – well done to selected members on their appointment! It’s brilliant that your Y6 committee members were given responsibility for recording meeting minutes. This will allow them to take ownership over the Eco-Schools programme and develop their listening, communication and teamwork skills. Terrific work! We’re pleased that carrying out your Environmental Review helped your committee to take stock of both its progress and areas for future action, whilst highlighting the fantastic work that your school had already done to improve your school grounds. What really stood out here is how you invited input into your review from various school stakeholders, such as teachers and your Art Coordinator and Premises Manager. This demonstrates a cooperative mindset and will help to engage others in your Eco-Schools work. The projects outlined in your Action Plan, such as litter-picks and school-wide competitions, demonstrate your Eco-Committee’s inclusive approach in carefully considering how it can involve the whole school in its planned Eco-Schools’ activities. Hats off to you all for tackling areas where you scored lowest in the Environmental Review, which is testament to a confident and ambitious Eco-Committee!
It’s clear that you have embedded environmental topics into your curriculum with great enthusiasm and these issues are being used to enrich learning in your school, whilst engaging your pupils in important issues, such single-use plastics and their impact on marine habitats. We love how you are using your outdoor spaces and resources, such as your Forest School, as vehicles to engage your young people with the natural world, whilst teaching them how to look after both themselves and the environment through creative play. Your Eco-Committee has made diligent and consistent efforts to keep both the school and wider community up-to-date on its progress and achievements using myriad verbal and digital methods. We were equally impressed with the extent of your involvement with numerous individuals and organisations, relying on their expertise and passion to enrich and inform your Eco-Schools journey. No doubt this was a mutually beneficial experience for all, as these individuals and organisations must have also been inspired by your dedicated Eco-Committee.
Everyone involved should take great pride in the wonderful parent quote – you have gone above and beyond to unite pupils, family, staff and the wider community to a common cause and have given your young people a platform for tackling issues that they are passionate about. It has been an absolute pleasure to read through your application. You are a wonderful ambassador for the Eco-Schools programme and we are delighted to award you an Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction – congratulations!
Just One Tree Day
Every October, Goldstone joins hundreds of thousands of children in our global community to take part in JUST ONE TREE DAY. As part of this annual event, children wear green (and brown) for the day and learn lots about trees and protecting our planet. What’s even better is that we raise money through voluntary donations from our generous school community - every pound raised will mean that a tree is planted somewhere in the world. These trees will be creating homes for wildlife, raising rural employment, protecting coastlines, capturing water, cleaning the air we breathe and most importantly tackling climate change.
We’re so proud that our school community is having such a positive impact in our world, and thanks to everyone’s participation we are now a JOTD Elite Planet Hero School!
JOTD news update - we have just received our certificate that shows we have now been responsible for planting a total of 4,271 trees (see below). Our next target will be to make it to 5,000!
