Bishop's Stortford school Hockerill Anglo-European College aims for eco-school status

Hockerill Anglo-European College students and staff have set a 2022 goal to become an eco-school.

Their strategy includes changing behaviour, making positive environmental impacts and nurturing wildlife at their Dunmow Road campus.

Chris Gilman, one of the teachers leading the initiative, said: “Students have access to a number of related clubs, one of which is the Nurturing Nature club, where they take part in activities such as species identification, carrying out censuses, creating feeding stations, improving biodiversity, photography and the monitoring of camera traps to create a digital library of local natural history.

“An unexpected bonus has been a pair of badgers being captured on camera delighting staff and students alike, and, importantly, the footage is helping students to appreciate one of our most iconic wild animals.”

Since Hockerill committed to becoming an accredited eco-school, the Department for Education has published a draft strategy into sustainability and climate change. One stated aim is “enhancing biodiversity and increasing access to nature in and around education and care settings” and becoming net carbon zero by 2030.

Chris said: “The enthusiastic engagement of staff and students is already bringing this vision into reality​ as carbon emissions have already been significantly reduced. ​Eco-actions will continue to be documented ​and shared through college publications and via the dedicated Twitter account @HAECNature.”