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Green Governors: A governor’s perspective. Stephen Benton Chair of Governors Ernest Bevin College, SW17. A bit about Ernest Bevin College. Comprehensive school of 1100 pupils Boys in main school but boys and girls in 6 th Form Specialist sports and maths/computing college
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Green Governors:A governor’s perspective Stephen Benton Chair of Governors Ernest Bevin College, SW17
A bit about Ernest Bevin College • Comprehensive school of 1100 pupils • Boys in main school but boys and girls in 6th Form • Specialist sports and maths/computing college • Newly opened sports facility including swimming pool, double dojo • Best exam results of the state schools in Wandsworth in 2009
What it means to be “green” • Not just an add on; has to be part of everyday life • Not just about environmental issues • It’s about lifestyle; health; economics; citizenship
Some things we are doing at EBC • School travel plan since 2007; refreshed in 2009 – fully supported by Governors • Travel surveys and action plan • First English secondary school to have Healthy Schools status • Annual Healthy Schools Fair • Inputting into Building Schools for the Future proposals for rebuild of part of school – more energy/water efficient buildings; ideas for a garden/growing area
School travel plan 2007 STP Objectives: • Make Glenburnie Road entrance safer • Encourage more staff and pupils to cycle to college • Heighten pupils’ awareness of health and environmental benefits of walking and cycling to college
EBC Activites • Poster competitions – including one with bike as prize in Summer 2009 • Cycle to school days • Promote walking and cycling to year 7 & 8 using assemblies and Bevin newsletter • Year 11 GCSE coursework • More bike racks • New security cameras on bike rack areas • Healthy Schools fair – every July
Travel patterns: 2007 - 2009 • Decrease in walking and car use; • Increase in bus use and cycling; • When looking at preference, increase in cycling and car share • Students preferred % would increase if security of cycles were improved
School travel plan 2009 objectives • Increase students’ knowledge on travel to school and help them become more independent travellers • Improve health of students and staff through encouraging walking and cycling • Increase student’s awareness of the environmental benefits of walking and cycling
New travel plan targets • Increase road safety education to cover 100% of students by May 2010 • Build cycle storage for 20 extra bikes by May 2010 • Give cycle training to 40 students by May 2010 • Increase proportion of students cycling from 2% to 4% by May 2010
What we haven’t done and perhaps should have! • Missed the opportunity to get sustainbility principles into design of the new sports and 6th form block – but we will try in relation to BSF developments • Not yet addressed the use of energy and other resources in the college in a systematic way – but we will now if for no other reason than to cut the bills!
What Governors can do • Ask questions; get it on the agenda • Encourage action and try and ensure that this is not just an “add on”. It has to be woven into everyday life at school • If you can, help out at events • Finally ask for feedback on how things are going and celebrate success