AROUND OUR SCHOOL SITE
We have been a single-use plastic-free site since September 2021.
Sustainable Energy
- Renewable heating - The school’s heating runs on biomass boilers – using wood pellets from waste wood or sustainably grown forests. "The burning of biomass does result in both carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions (NO2 and CO2), the carbon produced being the same quantity as what was absorbed by the plant during its lifetime, so the total carbon emission is negligible. The ash produced by most biomass boilers is considered to be a compostable component." (www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk) This ash is used by our grounds and maintenance team for composting across the school site.
- Solar Panels - The school produces over 48000 kW per year from its array of over 200 solar panels.
- Electric Vehicles - The site team use an electric vehicle and larger petrol-driven tools have been replaced with electric alternatives. This means less noise and air pollution, and they're powered by the sun rather than fossil fuels!
Reduce and Recycle
- Recycling points - Every classroom has a recycling bin and there are recycling points across our site.
- Single-use plastics – In 2020 plastic water bottles were removed from our dining hall meal deal and replaced by water fountains and reusable cups.
- Partnership - alongside our recycling partner, we audit what we sell in the dining hall to ensure that what we sell can be recycled.
- Water bottles - every year new students are provided with their own metal water bottle. We ask students to think before buying single-use plastic and to understand the importance of looking after our environment.
Energy Saving
- Energy efficient LED - LED lights are fitted across our site, and we now have 6000 LED panels across the Academy saving an estimated 85,000 kW hours or if you're boiling a kettle 273,600 cups of tea!
- Replacing single-glazed windows – over 100 single-glazed windows have been replaced with double-glazing over the last 5 years helping keep our heating needs down.
- New energy-efficient buildings - The new 6th form block and the replacement J Block are built using SIPs panels – with insulation built into the walls. These wonderful panels make them warm in winter and cool in the summer.
Wildflower Meadows
Wildflower meadows are one of the rarest habitats in the UK, and we have lost 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s.
Here at Redhill, we have planted three wildflower meadows with a variety of native wildflowers. This will improve the biodiversity of habitats across our site and benefit our butterflies, birds, bees, mammals and other amazing local wildlife.
CHARITIES & PARTNERSHIPS
Uniform Recycling with The Children's Society
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with The Children’s Society to supply our community with used school uniforms.
We are calling all students and parents to bring any unwanted uniforms to their tutor group over the coming weeks. There is also a donation drop-off at The Children’s Society Shop in Arnold Town Centre. Address: 99 Front St, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 7EB.
Rather than send old uniforms to landfills, The Children’s Society sorts and cleans donations and will then stock Redhill Academy uniforms at key points during the school year. The uniforms will be selling for a good cause and at less than 1/3 of the retail price with any donations not meeting the required standard being recycled – so if in doubt, donate it!
This initiative continues our Academy’s hard work over the last five years to improve sustainability throughout the school, with LED lighting, new double glazing, biomass boilers and recycling points across the site!
Donating school uniforms to The Children’s Society will help our environment whilst increasing the proceeds of this worthwhile cause and giving parents a low-cost alternative for uniforms.
You can learn more about the great work taking place at The Children’s Society here.