Year 5 Save the Sea

On the same day that Sir David Attenborough celebrated his 100th birthday, Year 5 pupils travelled to Perran Sands for their annual beach clean, as part of their Year 5 Belerion Award.

In his recent film Ocean, Sir David reminds us that the future of our planet depends on the health of our seas: “If we save the sea, we save the world.”

With this message in mind, it is important for our pupils to understand the scale of the challenge, and our beach clean not only raised awareness of the damaging effects of ocean pollution on marine environments but also empowered the children to take action and make a real difference.

Year 5 were fantastic ambassadors for the school. With enthusiasm and care, they removed plastic, fishing lines, and ghost nets from the high-tide line, even stopping to collect tiny microplastics from the sand. These fragments are almost impossible to spot, but their removal plays an important role in protecting local marine biodiversity.

It is this message of environmental responsibility and the preservation of ecosystems that we hope pupils will carry forward. If Sir David Attenborough believes our oceans can recover, then we are proud to play a small part in that story.

We also send him our very best wishes on his 100th birthday.

And finally, our sincere thanks go to Perranzabuloe Parish Council for granting permission for the clean, Haven Perran Sands for accommodating our minibuses, and Surfers Against Sewage for providing reusable beach cleaning sacks, which support a more sustainable alternative to single-use plastics. With thanks also to our amazing Prep staff for making the day possible, and to Mrs Luxton for her report and photographs from the day.