02 Dec Green Flag success for Ulidia!
On Monday 28th November, Ulidia Integrated College was visited by two assessors from Eco Schools to inspect the eco team and their work.
The assessors began their visit to Ulidia by meeting our Principal, Mr Houston, and then reviewed the Eco Team’s paperwork and action plans. Then the assessors undertook a tour of the College.
In the school foyer they reviewed our new eco notice board and our data panel which has live data from our solar panels and their current activity. In technology GCSE coursework using solar sensors were reviewed with planning documentation and pupil self-evaluations of their work. Within the school foyer, on display was the latest correspondence from our twin eco school in Madagascar, and our latest fair trade event information.
Within the canteen the assessors reviewed the waste disposal and separation methods used and were impressed by the methods of promoting healthy eating. Our head of Canteen spoke to the visitors and showed them our methods first hand.
The assessors were accompanied by 5 members of the junior committee on their tour of the college which then took them to the geography department to review our biodiversity evidence and our cross curricular work which included a joint music and geography radio advertising project. The assessors viewed our bird boxes, tree planting areas, and our horticulture area. Within the science department Mr Glass showed the visitors A level coursework based around energy surveys and consumption, as well as GCSE portfolios of coursework. Mrs Brines showed the assessors the musical instruments that learners made within music lessons. These were also used to create radio advertisements encouraging others to recycle.
The group led by the eco team members then visited ICT to view our energy app and our ‘follow me’ printing system which has reduced printing waste within the college.
Pupils showed the assessors our eco code which is in our planners, and highlighted that each classroom has paper recycling bins and an eco-code on the pastoral board which has been signed by each form class. Learners also explained to the assessors what they have been up to within the Madagascar project and how we learnt about harvest in Madagascar this term.
Within Home Economics the assessors learnt about cross curricular fair trade education and campaigns within the college. In History they were shown how the use of recycling within the classroom can complement lessons.
The assessors commented that the energy campaigns within the college were excellent. Ulidia remains the only post primary school in Northern Ireland to be ‘zero waste’ and was the first school in Northern Ireland to achieve this status. Ulidia also remains an Ambassador School for Northern Ireland Eco Schools, for our work with the Global Perspective aspect of Eco Schools and due to our Global Learning Programme. The Geography Leader, Mrs Patterson said that ‘the eco team do a tremendous job in our school and we are all proud of their achievement of a fourth Green Flag’.