Kiddi Caru Day Nursery Becomes a Desired Eco-Schools Nursery in Colchester!

Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool is celebrating becoming an Eco-Schools nursery in Colchester with a merit! The nursery team are thrilled to get this award as it shows their dedication to environmental education within the early years sector, their support for local wildlife within their area, and how they are a friend to nature.

So what is the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award?

The Eco-Schools programme, established by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), is one of the largest eco-initiatives in the world as it operates in over 67 countries. The organisation’s goal is to encourage every child to champion sustainability in their school and to increase biodiversity within their local wildlife area.

Educational providers can earn their Green Flag Award by working through a seven-step framework that empowers students, teachers, staff, parents, and the wider community to actively participate in environmental projects – for example, visiting an woodland trust location, making bird boxes or creating a bug hotel in their school field. Achieving the Green Flag is no small feat! It shows that schools and nurseries are in full support of environmental action and are passionate about educating young people so they can make more sustainable choices when they are older.

Whether you are a teacher in a primary school or a nursery manager in an early years setting, any educational provider can apply to be an eco-school and make their classroom a more eco-friendly place to be!

What did Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool do?

The Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool in Colchester has embraced this initiative to become an eco-school and a more greener, sustainable site. The nursery created a well rounded eco-team, also known as their ‘Eco-Warriors’, to take the lead on putting in place their eco-action plan so they could achieve their Eco-Schools Green Flag. The Nursery Manger and staff are so proud of their nursery’s eco-council who helped them secure their very own Green Flag Award.

Green Spaces & Garden

The nursery’s first step was to introduce more plants and vegetables on their school grounds, transforming their outside area into lush, green haven. They were able to create raised beds using natural resources to plant both their vegetable and flowers which helped increase the biodiversity at their site. By using recycled materials from kitchen scrapes, they have been able to create and use their own compost in their outdoor area to ensure their new garden space can thrive for years to come!

Not only did this make their school grounds more beautiful, but it also taught the children about the importance of growing their own food, caring for plants, and understanding the cycles of nature. This activity also does wonders for children’s mental health as being able to mindfully create a beautiful and rewarding garden in the fresh air develops their sense of accomplishment and fosters a feeling of pride in each and every child.

Kiddi Caru in Colchester has also taken massive steps to making their green spaces a bit more greener by conducting litter picks in their surrounding areas. These clean-up efforts not only improve the local environment but also encourage children and staff to work together in keeping their community grounds clean and green.

Charity Support

The Eco-Warriors have not only done work to make their own nursery greener, but they have also worked with charities to raise awareness of environmental issues within their local community. These charitable efforts have helped the nursery children develop a new level of kindness, engagement and respect, life skills that will help them prepare for school and beyond.

The nursery has also taken strides to introduce pets in their eco-education programme and play. Caring for animals gives children the chance to be responsible for other living beings, teaching them how to be compassionate and conscious carers of the planet and all living things moving forward.

Sustainable Food Choices

The nursery has been equally passionate about ensuring that their food is sustainably sourced from local providers. Staff members have carefully reviewed where their food comes from and, choosing from rich array of food choices, have opted for sustainably sourced food options which are better for the environment. This helps teach children the benefits of healthy living, helping them make better choices at primary school and later on in life.

Jo Allen, the Nursery Manager at Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschools in Colchester, says…

“I’m so incredibly proud of my staff team and the children who have put in so much hard work to make this dream a reality! My favourite activity we’ve done so far has been taking steps to attracting more wildlife into our garden. This is now such as peaceful place that the children can enjoy and I cannot help but smile when I see it. Achieving our Eco-Schools Green Flag award is just the beginning! We’ll continue working with our children, parents and families to make our nursery and our planet is greener, one step at a time.”

Looking to the Future

Kiddi Caru, Colchester’s environmental journey doesn’t end here! In fact, becoming an official eco-school has only spurred them on to take even more eco-friendly action in the years to follow, such as adding in more raised beds with wild flowers across their school grounds and creating bird feeders to attract more birds and wildlife to their nursery.

While there are so many routes the nursery could take, their current aim for next year is to incorporate more sustainable practices into their everyday nursery life. This way the nursery team can encourage and support the way children learn about the environment.

Book a Visit to Our Eco-Friendly Nursery in Colchester!

If you’re interested in learning more about our Kiddi Caru Day Nursery & Preschool in Colchester, how we nurture our children so they are ready for school and beyond, and how we are creating a greener future for everyone, then we would love to invite you to visit our eco-friendly nursery.

Come and see first-hand what our nursery school grounds are like, our bespoke curriculum that we implement everyday and meet the nursery team to ask all your burning questions! Visit our website or contact our Parent Engagement Team to book a show round of our nursery today and let’s grow greener together!