Spotlight on…Karen Parker
Monday, October 1, 2018
Nursery manager, Co-operative Childcare Sussex
HOW DID THE NURSERY WIN ITS ECO-SCHOOLS SILVER AWARD?
We’ve taken our learning from classroom to community by going on walks with clipboards to study living things in their environments; both inside the nursery gardens for younger children and to local parks with older age groups. Children also nominated each other to be on an eco committee. They carried out an environmental review of the setting and created an official ‘eco-code’ for the nursery, including litter-picking to help preserve natural habitats, and recycling.
HOW HAVE THE CHILDREN BENEFITED FROM THE WORK THE NURSERY HAS DONE FOR THE AWARD?
The whole aim of the programme is to get children as involved as possible, so they were really hands-on from start to finish. They have learned a lot about team work and listening. The award is a great way for the children to get a concrete reward for their achievements. As they are young, the longer timeframe of environmental work can be hard to comprehend, so breaking the process down into steps and awards keeps them engaged. This means we can shape and educate the minds of the future in a fun and interesting way.
HOW DOES THE ECO ETHOS INFLUENCE THE NURSERY AS A WHOLE?
It really represents the values we are already so proud of as a group. As a co-operative, a commitment to social responsibility is one of our top priorities. We display the children’s eco code throughout the nursery and everyone understands it. The parent forum gets involved with ideas for activities.
WILL you NOW SEEK FULL GREEN FLAG STATUS?
We’re working towards our Green Flag award by focusing on two topics: healthy living and litter. We’re especially looking forward to working with our chef and educating children about nutrition and healthy eating.
