What are the benefits?

Empowering every learner

Eco-Schools is an inclusive and holistic programme. We want to raise the aspirations of all learners, enabling them to progress towards the four purposes of the curriculum.

Knowledge and understanding

Giving young people the knowledge and understanding of environmental issues at school age, not only empowers them to take action now, but will encourage them to lead the way and inspire change in the future. They are supported to develop as ambitious, capable. learners who are ready to learn throughout their lives.

Building confidence and life skills

Leading meetings, playing different roles in a team, influencing change in others, speaking to visitors and peers and designing campaigns are all lifelong skills that enrich young people's learning journey. Eco-Schools gives learners an opportunity to demonstrate they are enterprising, creative contributors, equipping them to play a full part in life or work.

Developing ethics and intelligence

Today's young people are tomorrow's policy makers, business owners and consumers. Utilising the international Eco-Schools programme is a fantastic way to develop ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world.

Creating responsible citizens

Young people leave their Eco-School knowing that their voices and ideas can and do make a difference, ensuring they are confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

Three individuals look up at a small insect hotel mounted on a wooden trellis next to a light blue building.

Supporting an integrated approach to learning and teaching

Our nine interlinked Eco-Schools topics provide scope for a thematic approach across all six Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs).

This not only allows learners to become more sophisticated in their environmental understanding, but also enables them to make connections and transfer learning. We have a range of resources that are all designed to promote these cross curricular links.

View our resources

Benefiting local communities, Wales and the world

The Eco-Schools programme links local, national and international contexts. What’s more the nine Eco-Schools topics compliment many of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Local

Eco-Schools are encouraged to look beyond the school gate, reach out to the wider community and tackle local issues.

National

The programme is rooted in Welsh culture and is recognised at a national level by Welsh Government, who have supported the programme for more than 20 years.

International

Eco-Schools is a global phenomenon which operates in 70 countries. Taking part in the programme in Wales makes your school a part of the global family of more than 56,000 schools worldwide who are taking positive action to create a sustainable future.

Eco-Schools have ensured that eco-education is not just an ‘add on’ to tick an ESDGC box. It has ensured that we have embedded eco-education throughout the entire curriculum. Our pupils are more aware of their environment and how the decisions they make can worsen or better affect it.
Bassaleg High School

The morale in the E-team is amazing and the pupils love to be actively involved every week. They take pride in their school... This year we expect to see 40 members plus attending E-team as they have themselves seen how rewarding the club is. It is an honour to see this pride in the children and an eagerness to protect the environment.
Eastern Primary

Get involved

Register your school with Eco-Schools Wales and start your sustainability journey.

Find out more

More on how it works

All our Eco-Schools work through seven steps. Once a school has put this in place and collected evidence of their progress, they can apply for an Eco-Schools award.

How it works