Weaving the green thread at GDST schools

COP (United Nations Climate Change Conference) is an annual global event discussing how countries are planning to address various environmental issues in the future. As the curtain falls on this year’s COP29 taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, sustainability remains a major priority for GDST, and our schools, and our united mission is to deliver Net Zero by 2050. It is a green thread that runs across everything we do and we work with our young people to reimagine a brighter and greener future. Learn more about the GDST’s approach to sustainability and some of our recent activities and initiatives.

The GDST Energy Programme

The GDST Energy programme was launched in early 2024, with the aim of inspiring, educating, and empowering our teachers, facilities staff and students with the most current sustainability knowledge and curriculum and to understand and interrogate their own carbon footprint. The next event for this flagship programme will involve six GDST schools and focus on climate literacy, understanding each school’s carbon footprint and encouraging students to take action and do research on how we can mitigate climate change and reduce emissions.

Green activities across GDST schools

Led by the Head of Science, Eco-Warriors at Kensington Prep School are currently working towards the school’s Plastic Free Status (an accreditation from Surfers Against Sewage) with the aim of eliminating single use plastic in school. A ‘trash mob’ has also sent letters to supermarkets to enquire about their plans to use more sustainable packaging.

Belvedere Academy’s Eco Group is encouraging and managing recycling efforts throughout the school, including making recyclable and biodegradable equipment available in the academy canteens. The initiative forms part of a wider programme of using reusable water bottles at water machines, and recycling wherever possible.

On 12th November 2024, Blackheath High School hosted a sustainability conference at the school. This included 60 students aged 12 -16 and 10 teachers and six other GDST schools’ eco teams presented too. The full day event included workshops, discussion groups, presentations that covered a range of topics from sustainable fashion to the importance of bees.

Portsmouth High School was delighted to win two major awards recognising its work in sustainability. The EduCCate Global Bronze Award makes the school a centre of excellence for sustainability and climate literacy, with five members of staff having completed training on minimising the school’s carbon footprint. Additionally, Portsmouth’s Eco-Schools Green Flag Award has been renewed, and the Prep School was delighted to gain a distinction this year.

Bromley High School was also awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction, recognising its remarkable efforts toward sustainability. Initiatives included litter-picking and building animal homes, highlighting their creative and hands-on approach to sustainability. The assessor praised the school’s ability to integrate environmental education into the curriculum, enriching students’ learning experiences.

 

Sustainability at the GDST

The Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) is a family of 25 all girls’ schools – all sharing the GDST’s ambition to reduce its carbon footprint. Our work includes a strategy to deliver Net Zero by 2050, and we have already achieved CarbonNeutral® Organisation certification. We achieved this by off-setting our carbon footprint whilst we work towards significant reductions in our energy use. A dynamic green thread of sustainability is woven through everything we do and our One strategy aims to capture and amplify this holistic approach.

Discover more about sustainability at the GDST