Rickmansworth School has been awarded its second Eco Schools Green Flag after raising awareness about environmental issues. 

The secondary school has used topics such as reducing food waste and growing your own fruit and vegetables as part of its plan to empower pupils to be more environmentally conscious.

It was awarded a merit flag this time from the internationally-recognised award for excellence in environmental action and learning. 

Watford Observer:

The Eco-Schools assessors noted: “It's wonderful that you have appointed such a large and representative Eco-Committee, this shows your school’s excellent commitment to both the programme and the eco-cause.”

They added: “It was wonderful to see how completing your Environmental Review helped to raise the level of awareness in your school and helped your Eco-Committee to identify the issues and spot gaps in your school's existing environmental activity.”

The school aimed to have a mixture of indoor and outdoor learning as it wanted to ensure students gained skills in classrooms and outside involved in nature. 

Some of the activities the students took part in included litter picking, designing healthy meals, hosting a used uniform sale and planting trees.

Mrs Lorna Bevan, lead of the school’s eco committee, said she was "delighted that all the hard work that the Eco Committee have put in this year has paid off".

"Our committee is enthusiastic and passionate," she added. "I am so proud of them all!"

The school's eco team has worked with a variety of outside organisations such as the RHS Gardening for Schools Campaign, Many Tears Animal Rescue, Watford Food Bank and its local Green Party. 

Working with these organisations has helped the students learn about topics they would have traditionally been taught in the classroom. 

The Eco Schools assessors noted that Rickmansworth School’s curriculum link examples are “imaginative, practical and fun, making environmental education accessible and engaging.”

The assessors were also impressed with how the school linked enviromental topics with different curiculum areas such as geography, dance and food technology.

The school is hoping to expand this further by including the topics in subjects such as English and maths and design and technology (DT).