Kiddi Caru becomes an Eco-Schools nursery in Whiteley!

Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool in Whiteley are thrilled to announce that they have achieved their Eco-Schools Green Flag award this year!

This is proof of their commitment to becoming an environmentally friendly nursery that strives to protect wildlife as a part of their offering.

What is the Eco-School organisation?

The Eco-School program, operated by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), was established in 1994 and is a world wide initiative that is currently active in over 70 countries.

The organisation aims to encourage young people of any age to make a positive impact in their environment and improve their environmental understanding through a structured and student-led approach.

It provides a seven-step framework that guides schools and childcare providers in incorporating sustainable practices into their curriculum and daily operations to protect nature as a part of their teaching. The program is designed to engage students, staff, parents and the wider community in a collaborative effort to address various environmental issues.

By participating in the Eco-School program, schools can work towards achieving different levels of recognition, with the Green Flag award being the highest honour. This award signifies a school’s dedication to ongoing environmental education and sustainable development.

The Impact of the Green Flag Award

Achieving the Green Flag award is a significant milestone for any school, day nursery and many other childcare providers.

It acknowledges the childcare providers efforts in creating a sustainable environment and integrating eco-friendly practices into their educational framework. The award also fosters a feeling of pride and confidence among children, encouraging them to continue their environmental advocacy later on in life.

Whether it is taking part in forest school sessions, litter picking within the community, or even sharing environmental knowledge in a class room, achieving the Green Flag serves as a visual symbol of the education setting’s commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness, inspiring others to follow suit too.

What Kiddi Caru Whiteley did

The team and children at Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool have worked incredibly hard over the last few weeks to achieve their Eco-School Green Flag award to teach the importance of taking care of our world, treating it with respect and minimising pollution for a better tomorrow.

Here are some of Kiddi Caru, Whiteley’s favourite activities they did to get their Green Flag award:

Appointing their child-led Eco-committee

Kiddi Caru, Whiteley’s journey towards the Green Flag award was driven by the passion and determination of their Eco-Committee of little ones.

The committee of enthusiastic children chose to work on and develop a key focus they thought most important within their nursery, ensuring their action plan was both impactful and relevant.

Their main initiative included a beach clean-up, which provided immediate, tangible results and a sense of accomplishment for the children.

Making learning about the environment fun

The curriculum at Kiddi Caru, Whiteley is thoughtfully linked to practical and fun environmental activities, which offer strong learning opportunities and support physical development for each and every child involved.

One activity which was praised by the Eco-School team was the creation of a recycling role-play area within the nursery.

This was able to create a hands-on experience which allowed children to practice recycling in a fun and interactive way, reinforcing behaviours they could replicate at with their family at home.

Celebrating achievements and looking towards the future

The nursery’s Eco-Board highlights their hard work and dedication.

Filled with photos of the children engaged in various eco-friendly activities, the board celebrates their achievements and outlines their steps for the future.

One notable initiative showcased on the Eco-Board was the recycling home challenge, which encouraged families to get involved and develop their recycling habits learned at nursery.

Erika Maindrou, Nursery Manager at Kiddi Caru, Whiteley, commented…

“I’m thrilled to have achieved this Eco-Schools Green Flag Award!

The children in the Eco-Committee have worked really hard to achieve this award, and the staff and I could not be prouder of them!

We are looking forward to building upon our progress in the years to come to really help make a difference to our planet.

I want to thank my staff team, children in the Eco-Committee and all our parents that contributed their time and energy to help us achieve this Eco-Schools Green Flag Award. We couldn’t have done it without you!”

Join us at our environmentally aware Kiddi Caru Nursery in Whiteley!

Throughout their journey, the Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool in Whiteley have adapted the Eco-Schools program to maximise its impact and demonstrate how they can engage children to learn about the environment while developing the skills required for school and beyond!

Congratulations to the team and children at Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool in Whiteley on their remarkable achievement!

For more information on Kiddi Caru, Whiteley’s eco-friendly activities and details on the childcare they can offer, see their nursery page on the Grandir UK website.