Tonbridge wins Prestigious Environmental Awards

Tonbridge is celebrating a double recognition for its environmental and sustainability efforts, having been awarded the prestigious Eco-Schools’ Green Flag with distinction and a Wilder Kent Award for its Conservation programme.

The Eco-Schools’ Green Flag is an international accreditation, awarded for exceptional work promoting sustainability and raising environmental awareness within their community. Established in 1994, the Eco-Schools programme has grown and is now implemented in more than 70 countries.

The Wilder Kent Awards is a scheme that recognises and rewards the efforts of schools, businesses, and communities in helping to create a wilder Kent.

The School offers boys the opportunity to participate in a weekly Conservation programme as part of Wednesday Afternoon Activities (WAA). While some boys stay at the School to restore orchards, engage in beekeeping, and care for pigs, twelve Third Years work offsite with the Kent Wildlife Trust on ecological and conservation projects.

Will Biddle, Head of Sustainability, and the pupil-led Green Committee have spearheaded the School’s environmental initiatives. After conducting a thorough review of the School environment and curriculum, they have been working on increasing environmental awareness, making meaningful contributions to conservation efforts and bolstering Tonbridge’s sustainability.

This has involved engaging the whole School in eco-friendly activities including installing LED lights and recycling bins, planting more than 1000 trees and creating wild habitats. The School has also integrated environmental topics into the Geography and Science curricula, with the aim of expanding this to more subjects in the future.

Partnerships with external organisations like My Carbon, Terracycle, Countrystyle and Clock House Farm further enhanced initiatives. The Eco-Committee’s energy-saving measures, recycling efforts, and biodiversity initiatives were particularly highlighted as standout achievements and were key to earning the School the Green Flag with Distinction.

Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said: “The Eco-Schools’ Green Flag is an international benchmark that demonstrates a commitment to fighting climate change and high standard of sustainable practice. Students and staff who earn this award deserve recognition for their dedication toward protecting our planet. Every day, they demonstrate that each of us can contribute to making our planet a better, more sustainable, place.”

Pictured: Will Biddle, Head of Sustainability, receiving the Wilder Kent Award on behalf of Tonbridge School.