Thomas A Becket Junior School
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Welcome to our Eco-Schools homepage
To achieve this award we had to be working on the Eco Schools Framework, by building ‘greenness’ into both the day-to-day life of the school and the children's learning, as well as supporting other schools and organisations to become 'greener' themselves.
Air Quality Assembly and Workshops 2023
Paul from Sustrans visited and held an assembly with Y5 to talk about air pollution. We learnt about what can cause air pollution and what we can do to reduce air quality in our local community.
After the assembly, Paul held two workshops and the children learnt how lichen on trees can indicate the quality of our air by the colour. We also installed an air quality monitor at the front of the school and data will be sent back to WSCC.
You can help us to reduce air pollution by traveling to school sustainability by walking, scooting, cycling, or using public transport and ensuring your car engine is turned off if you need to park on local roads.
Be Bright Be Seen Day 2023
As part of our Road Safety Week, the children all came to school wearing a bright accessory to show how much more visible it makes them when its dark.
Eco 'Name A Lorry' Competition 
Thank you to AD Fuels who asked our children to name 4 of their new lorries.
We had lots of wonderful entries and once again it was very hard for them to choose.
Well done to Anita in 4KR with Sustaina Billy, Charlie in 4TB with Greta Truckberg, Lottie in 5EM with Lightening McGreen, Tilda in 6PH with Renewable Ron and Ozone Ollie, Jude in 4CF with Gassy Gus.
Hedgehogs 2023
The children enjoyed a visit from some hedgehogs. They asked lots of questions and found out all about the hedgehogs lifestyle.
Walk to School Week 2023
It was lovely to see all the children wearing shoes that made their feet happy to celebrate Walk to School week and our School Street scheme.
Congratulations to 3PH, 4TR, 5AH & 6SH for completing their hands up travel survey and being the most sustainable class in their year group.
E.Y.E Eco Summit 2023
Eco Committee members in years 4 and 5 attended the Eco Summit at Worthing Assembly Hall. During the event, guest speaker Nicola Peel talked to the children about her time in the Amazon Rainforest, and how she supported the local community in building houses, community centres and health centres from eco bricks.
The children took part in lots of environmental workshops covering sustainability and the environment, made their own eco bricks, learnt about what parts of a mobile phone can be recycled, and learnt more about Southdowns National Trust and Sussex Dolphin Project.
The Committee were all inspired after the event, and have come back to school with some amazing Eco incentives, which they will develop and deliver over this school year.
Living Eggs Chick Hatching Programme 2023
Our chicks have now hatched and this has brought huge eggcitment to the school day! The children have all enjoyed learning about the hatching process over the past few days and watching the chicks on our live stream. Over the next week each class will have the opportunity to spend time with the chicks and learn more about life cycles and the biology of how eggs grow into chicks.
Sea Safety Assembly
Michelle Cannon, Coastal Warden for Adur and Worthing Council, held an assembly on sea safety. The assembly covered safety elements such as swimming between groynes not away from the shore, wearing sturdy footwear when rock pooling, wearing a buoyancy aid if paddle boarding, scoot and ride in a straight line along the prom, grownups to hold on to the end of a rope tied to inflatables, the importance of wearing sun cream and hats, what safety flags mean and the importance of only leaving footprints and memories behind and to take all rubbish home
The children were also shown Marine Warrior backpacks, which are free to hire from the Seafront office.
Eco 'Name a Lorry' Competition
A huge well done to the four children who won the name the lorry competition. We had lots of entries and AD Fuels found choosing just four extremely difficult, and would like to thank all our children for the wonderful names.
Congratulations to Summer-Rose 3MC with 'Eco Eddie', Charlie in 4BC with 'Sir Gas'elot', Isabella in 6LG with 'Leafy Luna' and Alfie 6LG with 'Greenzilla'.
Road Safety Week
During Road Safety Week Mr Gadd held a Road Safety assembly this week and talked to the children about keeping safe on their way to and from school. He discussed wearing bright clothes so you can be clearly seen by traffic, how to look after your bike and scooter, the importance of wearing a helmet and the Green Cross Code.
We asked the children during the assembly what they could see in this picture.
Now what can you see?
The children also took part in our 'Be bright, Be seen' non uniform day to promote safe travel to school, by making ourselves visible to vehicles now that the winter months are approaching.
School Travel Plan
We are pleased to announce that, after reviewing our Travel plan actions and achievements, WSCC have awarded us the Bronze National Travel Award. We will continue to promote safe travel to school by working with the children, parents/carers, Governors, residents and travel representatives.During Eco club we looked at all the items we recycle and wondered what else could be made from unwanted items.
We talked about up-cycling golf balls and after some research we discovered we could make garden ornaments.ECO Club
Latest ECO Activities
The Countryside Charity Awards
Mrs Mayes attended the virtual CPRE Sussex Countryside Awards with the EYE Project (Eco, Young and Engaged) committee, as the project was nominated for an award.
We are pleased to announce that the EYE Project won a gold award for their work with schools and their contribution to enhancing and protecting the countryside, and for encouraging engagement with the natural word. Please see the following links for more details
Recycling at TAB
There are many ways you can recycle your used and unwanted items at TAB.
Clothes
Our clothes recycling bank is situated near the main entrance. We are able to collect the following items for our clothes bank which helps raise funds for school projects.
We can collect: Clean dry clothing, curtains, household fabrics, bed linen, towels, shoes, handbags etc. Medium size tied bags preferred, with shoes in separate bags.
We cannot collect: Duvets, pillows, cushions, off-cut material, rugs / carpet, wet or soiled clothing and material.
Pens
We can recycle used plastic writing instruments such as pens, felt tips, high lighters, marker pens and white board pens. If you have any used pens at home then please bring them into school where your child will be able to place them in the pen recycling pot in their classroom.
For every piece of waste sent to TerraCycle we earn funds for school projects. TerraCycle recycles all the waste sent in, and the resulting recycled plastic materials are used to make new products, such as garden lumber, benches and waste bins.
Batteries
All used batteries can be placed in our battery bank situated in the corridor by the fish tank.
Road Safety Week
Road Safety Week
Eco Work
Mrs Mayes and Tegan from our Year 6 Eco Committee were asked to write an article for The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide. Please find below our article which is being published by Bloomsbury.
Daisy from Sustrans presented us with our air quality banner which was designed by our year 5 and 6 Eco Committee.
During Eco club, children designed air quality pieces of art which will be used on our travel banner and displayed on the school gates.
Forest School Competition
We are pleased to announce that Thomas in 3CS was the winner of the National Forest School Association logo competition. Thomas’ logo will be printed on to hoodies, mugs, programmes and front covers. Congratulations Thomas!
E.Y.E. Eco Summit
Eco Committee members in years 5 and 6 attended the Eco Summit at Worthing College. Children took part in lots of environmental workshops and visited stands which promoted the importance of sustainable travel, planting pollinator friendly flowers, making homes for animals, recycling and caring for the environment.
Viridor Mixed Recycling Facility trip
Children from our year 3 and 4 Eco Committee visited our local Mixed Recycling Facility in Ford.
Viridor bring our recycled resources to life by not letting ‘waste’ go to waste. Instead, they transform it into quality recycled materials and vital renewable energy.
We learnt about all the items we can recycle at home, what is made from recycled items and how they sort and filter through tons of recycling each day. We also made our own reusable bag and Viridor kindly gave each child a pencil made from recycled paper and sharpener from recycled plastic.
Hedgehog Visit
Ashden Awards Less C02
Our Energy Rangers have also been using a digital thermometer to take readings during each energy check.
Mrs Mayes has also been reviewing how we use electricity in school, how we can be more sustainable and promoting pupils and members of staff to turn off electrical equipment when not needed.
Walk to School Week
Air Quality
During Eco Club our school committee analysed our Nitrogen Dioxide test tube results. The test tubes were hung in the school grounds for 3 weeks and then sent for testing at a laboratory for accurate results. The committee were pleased to see that our results fell within the UK legal limits of 40 micrograms per cubic metre, but learnt that the World Health Organisation recommendations are 10 micrograms per cubic metre. You can help reduce CO2 around the school grounds by walking, cycling or scooting to school and turning off your engine while waiting for your children. Help a South African School
During summer term 2018 we donated boxes of unwanted school books along with books donated by children, parents & carers to a charity, who presented them to schools in South Africa. This week we received a thank you letter for our kind donations and learnt that the charity collected over 1,000 boxes. Air Quality Project
Our Eco Committee continued with their workshops on air quality and learnt about how to produce a campaign to support their project. We discussed how to design eye-catching posters with a clear message to their target audience and the importance of a quote or catchphrase to help embed their message.Green Heart Hero Awards
Air Quality Project
The upper school Eco Committee have continued their work on learning about and gathering data on air quality around our school. During Eco Club, Daisy from Sustrans discussed why some roads would have more air pollution than others and how we can plan routes using a map to avoid overly congested areas. After school on Tuesday some members of the year 5 committee were joined by Janey from Living Streets, Mrs Mayes, Mr Gadd and Mrs Gilham (School Governor), to talk to parents/carers waiting for their children and highlight the importance of turning off their engines and choosing more active travel on their school journey. This could include walking, scooting, cycling or park and stride.
During assembly we were joined by Janey Bray from Living Streets, who spoke to the children about air quality. We learnt about what causes air pollution and how we can reduce this within our school community. Did you know that you can save fuel if you turn your engine off whilst waiting for your children, which also helps to reduce air pollution? Janey will be joining members of the year 5 Eco Committee outside school at 3.00pm to hand out leaflets and talk to parents/carers about active travel and air quality.
Lichen and air pollution
Fuel for the future
Mr Mayes from AD Fuels discussed renewable energy with the Eco Committee. We learnt about green power such as solar, wind and hydro. We then discussed the process of creating biogas by using anaerobic digestion where food, amenity waste, crops, and slurry are used to create gas which can be used to power our cars, cookers and boilers. Mr Mayes talked to us about the two types of gas created during this process compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG) and how lorries are able to transport the gas to ports and fueling stations.
Air pollution
During Eco Committee, the year 5 and 6 committee members took part in their first workshop on air quality, run by Sustrans. We learnt about what causes air pollution and how we can take steps to reduce this in our local environment. Air testing equipment was placed in designated spots within the school grounds and the results will be sent to a science lab for evaluation and then reviewed by children in future sessions.Lewis Crathern Visit
Eco Summit
Southern Rail Go Learn
Our year 5 children took part in a workshop session run by Southern Rail. They learnt how to use a train timetable, how to plan a trip using a timetable and connecting trains, how trains operate along the south coast, the importance of staying safe near a railway line and how trains are a sustainable form of transport. The children all enjoyed the sessions and felt what they had learnt would support them next time they use the train on their journey to school or for a day trip with their family.Picasso Art
During Eco club we looked at pieces of Picasso’s art and interpreted our own designs to make portraits using cardboard.
E.Y.E Project Competition
Eco Committee
E.Y.E (Eco, Young and Engaged) Project - 2017
Member School Feature - Thomas a Becket Junior School
The E.Y.E Project was invited to join eco committee members at Thomas a Becket Junior School for one of their eco club sessions.
It was abundantly clear that the group of 20, year 5&6 pupils, were proud to be on the eco committee and were extremely enthusiastic about their eco club activities. They were proud to wear their new eco committee badges and excited to talk to the E.Y.E Project about eco activities at their school. One of the pupils who has attended an E.Y.E Project Eco Summit expressed “I love the E.Y.E Project – It’s so good!”
During the lunchtime session, a pupil read the recent diary entry of the eco club mascot, Buster, who reported on the different recycling bins found in Gozo whilst he was on holiday with one of the eco club members. Buster gets to go home with a different pupil each week and reports on his eco adventures in his diary! After hearing about Buster’s adventures, the eco club divided up in pairs to audit the eco signage around the school, including classrooms, staff offices, toilets and corridors. Pupils checked that each area had the correct signs including the school eco code; turn off light signs; turn off water signs; turn off computer signs; recycling monitor name sign; light monitor name sign. They also checked that every classroom had a pen recycling pot. Last year the school recycled 30kg of pens!
Thomas a Becket are a Green Flag Eco School, they have been an Ambassador Eco School and will now be in the Eco Schools Hall of Fame (along with The E.Y.E Project!). They are a large school with around 700 pupils. They run two eco club sessions each week during lunchtimes, one for years 3&4 and the other for years 5&6, with a total of 37 eco committee members. To spread eco engagement across the school there are separate groups of litter rangers and energy rangers (each with around 40 pupils). The rangers carry out their duties once a week during breaktime. There are also recycling and light monitors for every class, so around a quarter of the school are engaged in eco activities at any one time. All Yr 3&4 pupils also enjoy Forest School sessions.
The school takes part in Fairtrade Fortnight; Road Safety week; Walk to School week; Funky Feet Friday; and the E.Y.E Project Eco Summit each year. They are involved with the Learning Through Landscapes Polli:nation Project with other local schools. Details of their eco activities can be found on their website https://www.thomasabecketjunior.org.uk/eco-activities/. Details of the Polli:nation project and their Fairtrade activities can also be found under the ‘extra-curricular’ tab.
When asked what their favourite thing about being in the eco club was, one pupil said ‘everything’ while another told me that no one is persuading them to do it and it is great that so many pupils want to be involved and apply to be an eco-committee member, and another advised that it was the planting and seed bombing.
Pupils advised that they collect milk bottle tops (for Sight Support Worthing); plant flowers; make and throw seed bombs; find animals; draw animals; make homes for bees; enter loads of eco competitions; make items from Fairtrade products for raffles; make eco craft such as collages from magazines and newspapers; and write letters using persuasive writing skills. Some pupils have recently written to Theresa May encouraging her to consider Fairtrade in Brexit negotiations.
The energy rangers award points to classes, for example turning equipment off, and each term the winning class is announced in assembly and the class receives a poster and a pot of treats. There are also prizes for the weirdest thing found by a litter ranger during litter picking!
Pupils advised that being part of the eco club has made them more conscious of littering issues outside of school, that they turn off lights more at home, they recycle more at home, and they walk and cycle more.
It was a delight to meet the eco committee members from Thomas a Becket – thank you for involving the E.Y.E Project to your eco club meeting!
Road Safety Week 2017
Mrs Mayes, Mrs Saunders and the year 6 Eco Committee held an assembly to highlight the importance of wearing brightly coloured clothes, wearing your cycle helmet and the Green Cross Code to help keep children safe on the journey to school.
To support Road Safety Week the children came into school wearing their brightly coloured clothes to highlight the importance of being seen when walking, cycling or scooting to school now the winter months are approaching.
We also offered the opportunity for parents/carers to purchase high visibility jackets.
Thank you from Worthing Society for the Blind, who collected another 10 bags of milk bottle tops from school. They receive money for the bottle tops which then get recycled into play equipment & dustbins.
Our year 5 children visited our local Tesco Extra store to learn about where our food comes from. Children made a healthy cereal, tasted a selection of cheeses, visited the fish monger and watched a demonstration on filleting a piece of fish. They also looked around the fruit and vegetable aisles to see how far our food travels and researched which fruit or vegetable had traveled the furthest. They also learnt about Fairtrade bananas.Mackley Construction
We would like to say a big thank you to Mackley Construction, who kindly donated 90 high visibility jackets to the school after hearing about our 'Be bright, be seen' non uniform day. The children will be wearing the jackets during all school trips within walking distance, and also for other events like our scooter training.
Road Safety Week 2016
Toilet Twinning Update
We are pleased to announce that, with the kind donation from Ideal Standard, we have been able to sponsor 4 toilets situated in some of the poorest countries in the world
Southern Water – ‘Pound a Poem’ Finalists
Walk to School Week Results - May 2016
Eco Art competition
Southern Water - Pound a Poem for Water Aid
Eco Summit
ECO Club Wild Seed Planting
Our Eco video shows some members of the committee taking part in a wild seed planting activity within Eco club. The video will also be shown to E.Y.E Project member schools at the Eco Summit held at Davisons High School.
ecoclub.mp4
Southern Water "WaterAid" Competition
Toilet Twinning Update
We would like to thank Ideal Standard, who after receiving our letter from the children in 5CS, have kindly donated £240.00 which will sponsor a toilet block in one of the poorest countries
Dress A Girl Around The World
We worked with Davison High School to ‘Dress a Girl Around the World’ where we donated dresses made from a simple pillow-case.
We set a target with Davison’s to make 50 dresses and we are pleased to announce we reached our goal. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made or donated a dress. For more information please visit the website www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com
ECO Club Activities Spring Term 2016
This term during Eco club the committee have been making pieces of magazine art. The children drew a large scale drawing and then used strips of magazine to create their art work.
The committee has also been painting their bird boxes ready to assemble around the school grounds.
Visit to Ford Mixed Recycling Facility 2016
Children within the Year 6 Eco committee and Litter Ranger group visited the Mixed Recycling Facility (MRF) in Ford.
We talked about all the items we can recycle at home and what happens to them once they reach the MRF. We learnt that 20 two litre plastic bottles can make a fleece and that recycled paper can make a pencil.
We also took part in activities and designed our own bag.
Beach Clean with the Marine Conservation Society
On Saturday 19th September we joined Transition Town Worthing along with the Marine Conservation Society and the Sussex Wildlife Trust to take part in the ‘Great British Beach Clean’.
Volunteers gathered at Beach House garden and split into groups along the seafront to gather litter and search for egg casings.
A litter survey was completed and the information gathered will be calculated by the Marine Conservation Society to create data on items found along our coastline.
The Sussex Wildlife Trust gathered all egg casings found to analyse the amount of dog fish, skate, rays and other fish that have been born this summer.
