Students and staff at Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy have once again earned the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award with Distinction, recognising their commitment to environmental action and sustainability.
Awarded by Keep Britain Tidy, the internationally recognised Green Flag celebrates the academy’s success in empowering students to take responsibility for improving their school environment and making a wider impact in their community. This marks the second consecutive year that the academy has received the honour, reinforcing its role as a leading voice for sustainability and student-led change.
This year, students focused on key environmental themes including biodiversity, energy, litter, marine conservation and transport. Projects ranged from encouraging sustainable travel choices to reducing carbon emissions and promoting healthy living.
Judges praised the school’s holistic approach to embedding eco-friendly habits and commended pupils for driving practical change through curriculum links and real-world science projects. In particular, they highlighted how students tackled topics like energy use, ocean health and pollution and how the academy’s work fostered a strong sense of responsibility and problem-solving among pupils.
The school’s innovative use of its Religion and Ethics curriculum to explore environmental stewardship, and a partnership with Nottingham City Council to learn about waste management, were also celebrated as standout elements of the award.
Simon Leach, Principal said: “We are incredibly proud to have achieved the Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction for the second year running. This award recognises the passion, creativity and leadership our students show when it comes to protecting the environment and making a positive difference. Sustainability is an important part of our culture, and it’s fantastic to see our young people driving meaningful change both within our school and in the wider community.”