Sustainability

Truro School has been making considered, measurable and effective steps towards putting the environment at the heart of our school’s policy, teaching and ethos.

This year, Truro School was awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction, following the successful implementation of the 7-step programme and the creation of a pupil-developed Eco Code. Additionally, we achieved Plastic Free Schools Status through Surfers Against Sewage, evidencing our proactive approach to reducing single-use plastics. These formal accreditations recognise a whole-school ethos of environmental responsibility, embedded in both operations and education.

Empowering Pupils With Real-World Environmental Projects

Our Prep students engineered eco-cars from recycled cladding as part of the Greenpower Initiative, while our girls designed standout ‘Eco Homes are Awesome’ as part of a TEC Girls scheme. Year 5 pupils achieved their Ballerion Award (Truro School’s environmentally-focused award scheme) through outdoor learning projects that included beach cleans and litter picks, inspired by the motto “pick up three and help save our sea!”. The school also launched the Sustrans Bike Bus, encouraging pupils to commute sustainably. Our Prep debating team engaged the community with their motion, “The Planet is changing, why aren’t we?”, highlighting pupil engagement with environmental discourse.

Eco-Committee Leadership & Community Engagement

The Eco-Committee met weekly to lead sustainability initiatives across the school, including organising a successful entry to the Big Battery Hunt. A new Eco Club was launched in September 2024, where pupils developed practical solutions like pinecone firelighters and contributed to garden planning. Select Prep pupils also attended the Eco-Schools Activity Day at Truro Cathedral, joining workshops on biodiversity, marine plastic, and pollinator health. These experiences fostered leadership and cross-school collaboration, encouraging students to take ownership of their environmental impact.

Curriculum Integration & Behavioural Change

Our youngest pupils in Pre-Prep created videos promoting recycling and energy-saving habits, helping change behaviours across campus. Plastic-free measures continued to expand, with innovations such as using masking tape or natural string in place of sticky plastic tape. During our dedicated Forest School sessions (which form an integral part of our EYFS and Pre-Prep curriculum), students built habitats like bug hotels and documented native species. Ongoing projects include the creation of a wildlife field guide and monitoring of lesser stag beetles. Wildlife cameras have captured footage of deer, foxes, rabbits and badgers, further inspiring learning through observation and exploration.

The school also engaged in the RSPB’s Big Schools Birdwatch and earned Wild Challenge certificates. Ongoing citizen science collaborations include work with the Sussex University Buzz Club on pesticide reduction and participation in the Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Watch activities.

Path to Net-Zero & Broader Environmental Action

Truro School’s infrastructure supports a long-term goal of achieving Net-Zero, with renewable energy installations like photovoltaic panels and the introduction of electric minibuses. These are supported by staff and student-led waste reduction, wildlife enrichment, and wider campus conservation. Institutional engagement included strong participation in Earth Day events, clean-ups, and a growing number of community pledges through eco initiatives.

Truro School works hard to embed environmental excellence in education, striving to become, through planned strategy, an institution where every member contributes to tangible change. Through strategic infrastructure, formal recognition, pupil-driven innovation, and wide community collaboration, we aim to embody meaningful, environmental leadership from Nursery through to Sixth Form.