Climate Action Plan
At St Mary’s Cockerton CE Primary School, our commitment to sustainability and climate action is rooted in our Christian vision “to be the hands and feet of Jesus.” Guided by this, we strive to care for God’s creation and act as responsible global neighbours. Through this a clear action plan, we aim to reduce our environmental impact, build climate awareness and inspire our school community to live sustainably. By weaving these values into our curriculum, daily practices, and decision-making, we seek to lead by example and make a positive difference locally and globally.
| Objective | Action | Success Criteria | Due date | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establish clear sustainability leadership including pupil leadership and voice | Appoint a Sustainability Lead, create the Think Global Act (TGAL) Local group | Lead and group in place Weekly after school meetings | Oct 2025 | Headteacher |
| Embed sustainability in school strategy | Add climate & sustainability to School Development Plan (SDP) | Sustainability is a standing item in SDP with progress reported to termly governing body meetings | July 2026 | Headteacher |
| Integrate climate change and sustainability into teaching | Map current curriculum for opportunities (science, geography, PSHE), develop age-appropriate learning outcomes for EYFS–Y6, share good practice through staff meetings | All year groups deliver at least 1 sustainability-themed unit per year | July 2026 | Curriculum Leads, Class Teachers |
| Reduce energy use and carbon footprint | Implement “Switch Off” campaign | 5% reduction in energy use | July 2026 | All staff TGAL |
| Improve waste & resource management | Introduce clear recycling bins in every room, compost food waste from lunches | 50% of waste diverted from landfill by 2028 | July 2028 | All staff |
| Increase biodiversity on school grounds | Conduct a biodiversity audit with pupils, create wildlife-friendly areas, plant native trees or hedges | Wildlife areas established; annual increase in species recorded | July 2028 | Sustainability Lead TGAL |
| Track progress towards sustainability goals | Display eco achievements in school, apply for Eco-Schools Green Flag or equivalent | Eco-Schools Green Flag or equivalent award achieved | July 2028 | Sustainability Lead |
Today Year 6 attended a very moving Leavers' Service at Durham Cathedral.
They enjoyed the various prayer stations and joined in with the children from Church of England schools across the Diocese to celebrate their time in primary and think about the next stage of their educational journey.
As always, their behaviour was exemplary and they were wonderful ambassadors for our school. ... See MoreSee Less
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As part of our celebration of Pride Month, we have set ourselves the challenge of completing a Pride jigsaw before the end of the month. Groups of children are coming down at playtimes and are doing a great job but with 500 pieces we have a long way to go!! ... See MoreSee Less
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🦋☀️ When they returned to school yesterday it was obvious that Reception had had a fantastic day at Butterfly World and Preston Park ☀️🦋
Miss Clarke summarised the day as follows:
'Our day began at Butterfly World, where the children took part in an exciting workshop all about the life cycle of a butterfly. They listened beautifully to our guide and impressed everyone with their enthusiasm and thoughtful questions. The children had some incredible hands-on experiences, including holding a caterpillar, examining butterfly eggs (which one butterfly seemed very keen on laying on Mrs Carter today!), and feeling a chrysalis, which was surprisingly hard. The highlight for many was holding a butterfly that had only recently emerged from its chrysalis. Seeing these different stages of the life cycle up close brought our learning to life and sparked lots of curiosity and wonder.
Our adventure didn't stop there! We also met a blue-tongued skink, explored the reptile exhibits and spent time watching the ever-popular meerkats.
After a busy morning of learning, we headed to Preston Park for lunch and some well-earned playtime. The children loved exploring the playground and demonstrated fantastic gross motor skills as they climbed, balanced and slid. It was wonderful to see their confidence grow as they challenged themselves and encouraged their friends.
Throughout the day, the children were an absolute credit to our school. Their behaviour was exceptional from start to finish. They were polite, respectful, inquisitive and kind, listening carefully, following instructions and engaging brilliantly with everyone they met. We received several compliments about how well-behaved they were, and I could not have been prouder of them.
Days like today are what make Reception so special. It has been a real privilege to watch the children learn, explore, laugh and make memories together. They embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and left us all with plenty of reasons to smile.
I have a feeling there will be some very tired Reception children tonight... and perhaps a few tired adults too! 😴💤
Thank you for your support in helping to make days like this possible. We have had a truly wonderful day and made memories that I am sure the children will be talking about for a long time to come. 🦋😊🌳' ... See MoreSee Less
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Here are some wonderful photos of Year 6's trip to the Faith Museum in Bishop Auckland. It's a truly fascinating place in such a beautiful setting. ... See MoreSee Less
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Year 5 and 6 had a fantastic trip to Auckland Castle and the Faith Museum today, learning about the history of Christianity in the north east through handling artefacts and experiencing the rooms that the Prince Bishops have used over centuries in the castle! ... See MoreSee Less
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Some more wonderful photos from this very special event ... See MoreSee Less
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Huge congratulations to our Year 4 Girls Football Team who won today's tournament at St John's CE Academy Darlington in association with FC Darlington Locomotives. It was a wonderful afternoon with teams from all the schools playing brilliantly! ... See MoreSee Less
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Our Year 6 choir had the great honour of taking part in the Bishop of Durham and Darlington Sword ceremony earlier today.
This ceremony takes place each time a new Bishop of Durham enters the Diocese and dates back to medieval times. The sword (the Conyers Falchion) dates from the 13th century and is said to have been used by Sir John Conyers to slay the Sockburn Worm, a monstrous dragon-like creature said to have terrorised the area around Sockburn, Darlington.
The ceremony took place on the banks of the River Tees in Hurworth where the Bishop of Durham was presented with the falchion.
As part of the ceremony, our children sang, ‘Let There be Peace on Earth’ after which the Bishop was introduced to the dignitaries present which included: The Macebearer, The Mayor, Lord Lieutenant, the High Sheriff, the Mayor’s Chaplain, the Priest in Charge, the Area Dean (Father Damon), the Leader of the Council, Freeman / Freewomen of the Borough, the Mayor’s Escort and Hurworth Ward Councillors
The details of this traditional ceremony can be found by following this link: www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/explore/treasures-collections/our-most-famous-items/the-conyers-falchion
The children sang beautifully and were complimented by all present on what a moving contribution they made to such an important ceremony. ... See MoreSee Less
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