Hartlepool schools unite to tackle climate change

Pupils from Barnard Grove, Brougham, West Park and West View primary schools attended the Pupil Action Conference, at the ARC, in Stockton, where they set out their own ideas to reduce their own school’s carbon footprint.

Barnard Grove Primary School, which is part of the Ad Astra Academy Trust, was presented with a trophy for the range of initiatives they had taken to reduce their carbon footprint, including a clothing and textile recycling scheme.

Chris Simmons, chair of the Ad Astra Academy Trust, praised all participating schools for their excellent presentations and said it was difficult to decide which school had taken the most initiative.

Helen Durnion, school improvement leader for Ad Astra Academy Trust, said: “It is fantastic that our children are at the heart of the efforts for schools to become carbon zero by 2030.”

She added: “After all, it is the children of today and future generations that could be adversely affected the most if immediate action isn’t taken to protect the planet.”

This school initiative is part of Let’s Go Zero, which is a national campaign that unites pupils, teachers and parents to encourage schools across the country to become zero carbon by 2030.

In 2019, the UK became the world’s first major economy to pass a net zero emissions law, with the target of bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by the year 2050.

Net zero will be reached when the amount of greenhouse gases we produce does not exceed how much is taken away.

Andy Brown, chief executive officer of Ad Astra Academy Trust, said: “This is an opportunity for all schools within our trust to take positive action to reduce their carbon impact."

He added: “The actions that our schools will be taking will reach far beyond the school gates, inspiring families and the wider community to tackle the climate crisis which is hugely important.”

Ad Astra Academy Trust was formed in 2015 and over the last seven years, has grown across the Tees Valley, providing an education to over 3,000 pupils and 500 employees in Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool.