(a) Towards Class A Award The Towards Class A Award recognises best municipal communication activities and raises the awareness of building users about energy and water consumption, as well as the CO2 emissions of public buildings.
Durham County Council has been hailed as one of the best in Europe for energy efficiency in its buildings. Over 250 municipalities took part in the Towards Class A campaign which encourages councils to become “shining examples”. The jury of international experts awarded the County Council, the only UK nominee, joint third place behind winners Lausanne and second placed Montreaux, both from Switzerland. In their citation, the judges said they were particularly impressed with the County Council’s commitment to improving its carbon monoxide emissions and reducing its water consumption.
(b) Cassop Primary School Cassop Primary School has won the Department for Children, Schools and Families Award for Sustainable Schools.
The Teaching Awards judges were bowled over by their visit to the school, describing the occasion as “humbling”; “uplifting”; and “a privilege”.
Pupils are immensely proud that their school is heated from recycled wood through a carbon neutral heating system; that solar panels as well as a wind turbine power the school, and they have become superb ambassadors for the sustainable energy agenda to the hundreds of people, regionally and internationally, who visit their school every year.
The children are very clear about how small, practical steps on a local scale can lead to global solutions and the environment they have helped to create - the recycling centre, organic vegetable garden, wildlife area for pond-dipping and bird watching, tree planting schemes and a secret garden for story-telling - has become a vast educational resource.
Judges met children who were articulate, knowledgeable, open, enthusiastic and creative because they were part of an inspirational setting for learning and live the sustainability agenda. Children are only too willing to give presentations as part of Cassop’s “Environmental Extra” service to other schools and community groups who come for sustainability courses. They have “taken to heart” their twin school in Kenya, undertaking fund-raising to provide the school with solar panels - the only energy source within fifty miles. They have made presentations on sustainability to a House of Commons select committee and led debate and discussion with the Dutch opposition spokesman for energy; their thinking skills enhanced, according to their headteacher, because they have been working on real projects with real consequences.
Through sustainability their school has become a beacon of excellence in every aspect of learning.
| Contact: Ian Croft 0191 383 3489 |