“Our staff use an appropriate range of assessment methods, including observation and high-quality interaction with children. “

Involvement in Eco-Schools activities can afford observational opportunities in creativity (artwork from recycled materials), cooperation (sharing ‘gardening’ duties), enterprise (collecting and sorting recyclables), language development (identifying plants and insects), number (making graphs). While all of these can be assessed in other activities, the common ‘eco’ theme provides a benchmark against which observations can be measured.

“Our children have high expectations of themselves and others. They have a sense of achievement and progress, and enjoy appropriate opportunities to exercise responsibilities. Their work is displayed well around the playroom and centre. Their high levels of motivation and depth of engagement demonstrate a positive attitude to learning. We celebrate children’s achievements regularly within the centre and with family and the community.”

Early years staff have always used the environment both as a place of learning and a resource for learning. They have long recognised the need for young people to be outdoors and opportunities for learning in the process. Drawing these opportunities under the discipline of the Eco-Schools programme gives the young people a target to aim for and a tremendous sense of achievement at various stages of success. Achievements within Eco-Schools can easily be demonstrated to parents and visitors, and even the youngest child is eager to describe, demonstrate and discuss progress.

“We promote equality of opportunity, and a sense of fairness is strongly evident in the centre’s work. Diversity is recognised, valued and promoted in our centre and its community whilst stressing what is shared in our values and experiences.”

While young people from different cultures may vary in terms of religious belief, language and values, these all share a common respect for the environment. Working together on an Eco-Schools environmental project gives common ground for children to cooperate with each other irrespective of personal differences in a way that such differences become non-threatening and personally enriching.