The committee presented a detailed proposal to Gary Smith, CEO of the Basildon Academies Trust, who was impressed with their ideas and shared his own thoughts on the environment.

The project aims to create a sustainable and eco-friendly environment within the school; This includes the establishment of a wildflower garden, an allotment, an orchard and a sensory garden. Additionally within this area, water butts, composters, mini insect hotels and hedgehog houses will be installed. These initiatives will not only enhance the aesthetics of the academy but also provide valuable learning opportunities for students.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Eco Committee, the project has been given the green light and the first stage will soon be implemented. Once the success of this initial phase is demonstrated, funding for the next phase of the project will be granted. This phase will involve transforming an area near the courts into a wildlife garden, where students can actively engage in fieldwork and contribute to the creation of a mini ecosystem.

“We are very thankful that the school has given us funding to enhance our school’s natural environment. We must make sure we do a good job on the first stage of the project so we can continue to progress up the ladder of success. All our thanks to Mr Smith.” Nate.H – Year 7

“This is a great opportunity to help protect wildlife within our school community.” Maddison.A – Year 7

“I joined the committee because I want to help make our school eco-friendlier. I am looking forward to starting on our first project which will be developing the quad area.” Michelle.C – Year 7

“We were really excited when we were told that we will receive funds for our project. We persuaded Mr Smith to give us a reasonable amount of money to develop our schools eco community. We hope this will be a shining path for more years to come.” Luke.Z – Year 7

“My role in the committee is to help everyone be happy and healthy, so me and the gardening team are doing a crossover and are making a special sensory garden.” Alice.A – Year 7

“It was a pleasure to listen to the bids and talk through the proposals from the Eco Committee, and as a result they were successful in securing funding for their projects. These projects will support both sustainability and welfare, and I cannot wait to see them come to fruition.” Gary Smith - Chief Executive Officer, The Basildon Academies Trust

This project is an excellent example of the commitment of the Basildon Academies Trust to environmental sustainability and education. By supporting the efforts of the Eco Committee, the trust is not only investing in the future of its students but also setting an example for other institutions.

We look forward to sharing the progress of our dedicated students and staff over the coming months.