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23 September 2019
Over 200 entries were received in this hard-fought competition, with schools of all different sizes – from tiny, rural Pre-Preps to Senior Schools who are household names – submitting entries in the 18 different categories.
Kilgraston School has been working very hard to raise awareness, and actively promote, environmental concerns and solutions.
Head, Mrs Dorothy MacGinty, said: “Naturally we are absolutely delighted that the work of our School community has been nationally recognised. However, I would like to reiterate that the environment and its protection is not just a school project; it is very much a precious commodity and something that must be treasured and respected by each and every one of us.”
This year witnessed Kilgraston’s pioneering ‘Wear it Again’ day, when all 260 pupils came to school in vintage clothing, highlighting the annual disposal of over 300,000 tonnes of wasted clothes in landfill sites.
In addition to this event, single-use plastic was banned from the campus and a ‘100-point-challenge’ initiated by pupils to look at ways that they could change their daily habits to have less impact on their immediate environment.
Together with these initiatives, during research into avian references by Shakespeare, girls discovered that nearly 50% of the birds mentioned by the Bard in his various plays and sonnets tragically now appear on the RSPBs endangered list. “Wilt thou soon be gone?” asked The Times in the coverage of the story.
Claudia Dudman, Editor of ISP Magazine said: “Transformative and innovative projects and programmes are underway from Scotland to Cornwall; the judges have so enjoyed reading the schools’ stories.” She continued: “These Awards were initiated to recognise and applaud the varied and imaginative ways in which independent schools prepare young people for their future lives.”
Representatives from schools throughout the country, including Kilgraston, will gather at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in Knightsbridge, London, on Monday 7 October to hear the judges’ final decision.
Kilgraston staff will, of course, be travelling by more environmentally friendly train.
