Inspiring the Next Generation of Eco Champions: Green Flag Journey with Broomhill Junior School
Here at Price & Buckland, we’re passionate about fostering eco-consciousness across all areas of life - whether that’s at work, home, or in education. This past summer, we launched our Eco Campaign, to raise awareness among schools, parents and students alike. We were delighted when we discovered that Broomhill Junior School, located just down the road from our offices in Nottingham, has been awarded the prestigious Green Flag for two consecutive years!
Curious to learn more, we arranged a visit to find out about the school’s journey towards earning their Green Flag and to hear directly from their Headmaster, Mr Beckinsale-Yates, about the inspiring steps they’re taking to champion sustainability.
Broomhill Junior School was built in 1966, when environmental considerations weren’t a priority in construction. Over the years, the school has made key updates to improve its eco-consciousness, including energy-efficient doors and windows, and by removing harmful materials like asbestos to create a healthier space. In 2025, construction will begin for a new school building with sustainability at the forefront. Mr Beckinsale-Yates told us about exciting green-focused features like solar panels, biomass heaters and heat source pumps. Despite currently having an older school building, Broomhill Junior have still managed to achieve their Bronze, Silver and Green Flag awards, with an eco-conscious focus embedded in the curriculum.
Leading the eco movement at Broomhill Junior is Mrs Blacknell, who oversees the school’s Eco Council - a dedicated group of students who have developed their own Eco Code to guide the school's sustainable practices. You can see them below:
- Keep the school clean and tidy
- Recycle paper and plastics in the green bin
- Save water by turning taps off
- Save electricity by switching off lights and SMART boards
- Walk as much as possible
- Look after the school environment The Eco Council has a commitment that has earned the school their Bronze, Silver, and now Green Flag status.
The Eco Council has a commitment that has earned the school their Bronze, Silver, and now Green Flag status.
One of the unique aspects of Broomhill Junior is its approach to teaching students about sustainable food sources through a hands-on experience. The school has a variety of animals on site, including pigs, turkeys, ducks, geese, and cockerels! Rather than treating the animals as pets, the students learn about life cycles, food sources, and the journey of farm animals from birth to table.
While they no longer take trips to the markets where the animals are sold, they still head down to the local butchers, Lawrence Severn and Sons, where the children get a firsthand look at how meat is prepared to sell in the shop! Mr Beckinsale-Yates has said that this experience provides valuable life skills and insights into sustainable, local food production. Even children who don’t eat meat are welcome to gain an understanding of the process and the concept of food cycles.
Alongside the animals, Broomhill Junior has several fruit trees, including pear, plum, and apple trees. These trees produce enough fruit for the school kitchen, where the cooks use them to make dishes for the students. One year there was so much harvest that the cook had to freeze some! While their vegetable patch is on pause due to the upcoming construction of the new school, they’re eager to resume growing fresh produce for school meals in the future.
This seasonal cycle of harvesting and cooking provides a farm-to-fork experience for the children and again, provides an understanding of nutrition and where foods come from.
