Sponsored by The OpenUniversity
This category recognises the school or educational initiative that really stands out.
WINNER
Burry Port Community Primary School – the first Passivhaus school in Wales
Carmarthenshire County Council and architects Architype worked with Burry Port Community Primary School to bring together the towns separate infant and junior schools on one central site in a design that celebrates Welsh materials and embraces innovation to provide the school with a more flexible and healthier future. The prominent new-build includes the first Passivhaus school building in Wales and a separate Brettstapel elliptical pod for multi-use purposes and unites the new and old elements of the school. The design team arranged for a mixture of infant and junior pupils from Burry Port Primary School to attend a Design Workshop to learn about the principles of design and construction. Energy use is expected to be 70% ‐ 90% less than a like‐for‐like school building built to building regulation standard.
FINALISTS
Dragon LNG Darwin Centre Experience
Dragon LNG Darwin Centre Experience supports generations of young people from deprived backgrounds to develop their interest in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Darwin brings the natural wonders of Pembrokeshire to life by inspiring every year six Pembrokeshire pupil through a half day outdoor STEM activity in Energy Production, Marine Litter, Evidence of past Climates, Rocky Shore studies, River Sampling, Engineering or Mathematics, followed up by a classroom workshop. The programme has taught over 33,000 young people since the start of the project.
Sustainability for the Future at Thornhill Primary School
Thornhill put sustainability at the heart of the school environment. Their vision is to become a carbon neutral school of the future. The headteacher was eager to reduce energy costs and levels of CO2 and engaged with the local authority, Carbon Culture and a third party to fund the purchase of solar panels and install a low energy ICT suite. The schools Eco Club hosts weekly meetings and has worked to reduce energy bills even introducing a weekly Eco Award which has had a positive impact on the school budget so that more of the money can be used for learning and teaching. The Eco Club and Healthy Hero group have also worked with the Rural Regeneration unit to set up a Food Cooperative to improve the health and well-being of the whole school community. The school has an Eco Plan which was written in conjunction with our Eco Schools support and the pupils. Over a period of 3 years CO2 emissions have been reduced by a third and the solar panels mean that the ICT suite runs at almost no financial cost to the school so the financial savings can be used elsewhere. The school has been accredited by the ‘Eco 3rd Green Flag’ award.