An Eco Week of student-led talks and activities has provided much information and inspiration for pupils and staff throughout the School.

With various Eco Week sessions devised and led by Sixth Form prefects from Monday 18th to Friday 22nd November, some of the real challenges facing our planet were highlighted, questions answered and suggestions put forward about how today’s young people can address a ‘climate emergency’.

The week began with an Eco Assembly, in which all pupils were encouraged to really think about and engage with the theme of the week. Chair of the School Council, Liam Velani told his fellow students: “Eco Week is a brilliant opportunity for all of us to evaluate our moral duty in society and how we best see our role as custodians of this planet. I urge you to raise any environmental concerns with your year group representatives, or with any member of the prefect team. The Environmental Committee is always open to any of your suggestions, to take on-board when preparing initiatives for this year.”

Not content only speaking with fellow pupils, prefects were also invited to the staff room at break time to encourage teachers to think about their role in sustainability and saving resources.

Activities across the week included:

• A prefect takeover of Year 9 academic studies lessons to talk about sustainability
• Special sessions to watch TEDxJohnLyonSchool videos on the topic, Earth
• A session to discuss the redevelopment of the School pond
• Students covering the whole school site to turn off all the lights at the end of the day
• A zero waste lunchtime during which all food waste bins in the dining hall were sealed
• Book donation and Eco-Christmas decoration making in the Library

After speaking to Year 9s about sustainability, Upper Sixth student Ken Houghton said: “In these talks we wanted to convey the importance of making personal changes to reflect the needs of the climate crisis and for boys to realise how tangible the crisis is for many people around the world. I feel we have communicated and presented complex and sensitive topics and we hope the boys have learned a lot, from how much impact one’s diet can have as well as what modes of transport are better and worse for the environment.”

Deputy Head Boy Vivek Nanwani added: “The prefect team all felt the need to talk about sustainability as climate change is becoming a serious concern across the world, affecting billions of people. Personally, I feel the Year 9 boys we talked to now have a much clearer and better understanding of climate change as well as a better idea of what we can do to stop it.”

At the end of Eco Week Head of Sixth Form Mr Jonathan Rowe said: “This week has shown once again how engaged and aware our older students are with the world around them and how keen they are to share their knowledge and passion with younger pupils. Creating a whole week of events is not a simple task, but they worked well on their own and with staff to put together an engaging programme. For this they deserve great praise. As with the student-led Diversity Week in 2018 I fully expect Eco Week to become a regular addition to the John Lyon calendar, with each year group rising to the challenge as they reach their senior years in the School.”

Watch the trailer for TEDxJohnLyonSchool