Winner: Cassop Primary School Cassop Primary School in County Durham has been involved in environmental issues for many years but has recently decided to bring a global dimension to that work. Staff decided they needed to address issues such as climate change in a positive way that did not frighten the children, but instead showed them how they can help produce small changes themselves. That effort began with the erection of a wind turbine, but has since extended to include environmental improvements in the school grounds, education on renewable energy and fundraising for solar panels at Cassop's partner school in Kenya. The school is also consulting parents to reduce car use and wants to manage a community initiative in Cassop and Quarrington Hill to insulate houses to a higher standard. The school said: "The school is in the process of converting one classroom into a permanent, purpose-designed centre to accommodate visitors to the school and more demonstration equipment. Any award money would be put to this purpose." --------------------------------------------------------- Runner up: St Peter's C of E Primary School St Peter's C of E Primary School which oneis committed to raising pupils' awareness of the importance of protecting themselves and the environment in which they live. The school council and eco committee have acted as a link between the pupils, staff and partners to plan the Sustainable Futures agenda, and between them they have come up with a host of ongoing sustainable initiatives. Water, gas and electricity meters are read on a weekly basis with pupils entering data on spreadsheets. A gardening club sells vegetables grown on the school grounds, while fruit and vegetable waste is recycled on the school's compost heaps. There is a School Travel Plan to increase the use of cycles and walking to school, and each class has lighting monitors ensuring empty rooms have lights switched off. There are healthy morning snacks plus daily after-school sports activities. The school's future plans include the introduction of a wind turbine in the grounds to support the school's energy consumption. --------------------------------------------------------- Runner up: Sir Charles Parsons School Sir Charles Parsons School in Newcastle has launched a sustained drive to become an eco-school. That effort to date has been focused in the area around the school's old greenhouse, which has been converted into an allotment where children can grow their own produce. The school also improved its recycling efforts and targeted the allotment as an area where older students can work as mentors with visitors to the school. Now the school's attention has been shifted to an environmental project in Walker Park, with students organising a clean-up in an effort to generate local interest in their efforts. A statement from the school said: "This competition has given Sir Charles Parsons the opportunity to show what our students can achieve. "Success would give the school and students the opportunity to plan, grow and harvest vegetables all year - this would become an essential part in our efforts towards an eco-school." | 
Northumberland