Sustainability
At the David Ross Education Trust, we are committed to building a greener, more sustainable future for our students, staff and communities. Every academy plays a part in reducing our environmental impact and inspiring young people to take positive action for the planet. On this page, you’ll find our school’s Climate Action Plan along with updates on projects and activities that showcase how we are putting sustainability into practice.
Our Mission
Because shaping tomorrow starts with what we learn and do today.
Supporting Swifts at King Edward VI Academy
Climate Action Impact Report - Year 1
lets go zero climate action plan kevi academy.pdf
A Year of Amazing Climate Action at KEVI!
We’re proud to share that we’ve reduced our carbon footprint by 13% in just one year — that’s the equivalent of cancelling 434 return flights to Paris!
Highlights from Year 1:
Gas use down 33%
Electricity use down 17%
Uniform Exchange saved 4.38 tCO₂e
Nature Park grant used to boost wildlife, create a pond, expand planting & start beekeeping
Sustainability now part of lessons, assemblies & student voice
We couldn’t be prouder of our students, staff, families & community partners.
Thank you for helping us build a greener KEVI!
Next up for Year 2:
More outdoor learning
A plant‑friendly food day
More biodiversity work
A formal sustainability working group
Greener travel & reduced paper use
Let’s keep going — together!
KEVInted
Sustainability through KEVINTED Pre-Loved Uniform!
KEVI students have been busy designing and launching our very own KEVINTED Pre-Loved Uniform Shop. A fantastic initiative promoting sustainable choices that help save money and protect the planet!
Items are available to purchase via the MCAS app, and all proceeds will go towards supporting the School Gala.
Let’s celebrate sustainability, student leadership, and community spirit—one uniform at a time!
Projects in Progress...KEVI Nature Pond Phase 2 coming soon!
Spring 2026
Term Four 2026
Term 4 Sustainability at KEVI
KEVI has had a brilliant start to Term 4, with exciting progress happening all across our school grounds. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to.
Vegetable Plot
Our first early potatoes were planted in early February and are already pushing through the topsoil.
We’re also delighted to announce the completion of two new vegetable plots, giving us even more space to grow:
Second‑earlier potatoes
Spinach
Radishes
Additional seasonal produce throughout the year
These new beds will help us expand our harvest and involve even more pupils in hands‑on growing.
Nature Pond
Life is flourishing in our nature pond this term.
We have frogspawn for the very first time and have been tracking its development into tadpoles.
Three common newts have been spotted exploring the pond.
A frog has also taken up residence, enjoying the improved habitat.
Our newly installed water butts now collect rainwater from the school sheds and feed directly into the pond, helping us maintain a sustainable, wildlife‑friendly environment.
Pollinator Zone
Spring colour is beginning to burst through the pollinator area.
Daffodils and tulips are now in bloom, attracting early pollinators and adding vibrant colour to the school grounds.
Beekeeping
Our bees are thriving and making excellent use of the nature pond and surrounding flowers.
We’re hopeful that this year we’ll once again be able to harvest and sell our first batch of honey, watch this space for updates.
Recycling:
A huge well done to our community for recycling an impressive 51kg of batteries this term.
This fantastic achievement not only supports our sustainability goals but also earns the Academy book vouchers to help enrich our library.
Term Three 2026
Our Ongoing Commitment to Sustainability
We’re continuing to explore meaningful ways to reduce our environmental impact—both in school and online. This year, we’ve been focusing on how everyday digital habits can become more eco‑friendly.
Simple Steps to Be More Eco‑Friendly Online
Small changes add up. Here are some easy actions we’re encouraging everyone to take:
- Clean up cloud storage
- Unsubscribe from unwanted emails
- Stream smarter
- Turn off autoplay
- Use dark mode
- Close unused tabs
- Choose lighter, low‑energy websites
- Download files instead of repeatedly reloading
- Use Wi‑Fi instead of mobile data
- Look after your devices
- Switch devices off properly
- Share files responsibly
These habits help reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions, and extend the life of our devices.
Recycle to Read: Our New House Challenge
We’ve teamed up with The Pod to launch our Recycle to Read challenge. By collecting used batteries, we can exchange them for book vouchers for our school library.
So far, we’ve already collected over 700 batteries—a fantastic start!
Why Battery Recycling Matters
Recycling batteries has a powerful environmental impact:
- Prevents pollution: Batteries contain harmful chemicals like mercury, cadmium, and lead that can leak into soil and water if sent to landfill.
- Conserves resources: Valuable metals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt can be recovered and reused.
- Reduces fire risks: Incorrectly disposed lithium‑ion batteries can ignite in waste facilities and transport vehicles.
- Cuts emissions: Recycling uses far less energy than mining and refining new materials.
- Supports a circular economy: Old batteries become raw materials for new products, reducing waste and demand for new extraction.
Growing for the Future — Our Garden Is Expanding!
Our garden continues to grow in more ways than one. This year, we’re expanding our veg plot — and doing it sustainably. We’ve purchased reclaimed scaffold boards to build new beds, helping us reduce waste while giving old materials a brand‑new purpose. It’s another step toward making our outdoor learning space both productive and environmentally responsible.
We’re already planning ahead for this year’s harvest. Our planting ideas include:
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Radishes
- Sugar snap peas
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Beetroot
With more space and more sustainable materials, it’s shaping up to be another productive and exciting year in our garden.
Signs of Spring
The first crocuses and snowdrops are beginning to bloom in our pollinator zone, bringing colour and life back to the space. Spring is definitely on its way, and we can’t wait to see what it brings.
Autumn 2025
Term Three
Term Two
Term 2 Sustainability Update
As we move through Term 2, our outdoor spaces continue to develop and thrive, even during the quieter winter months.
Vegetable Plots: The veg beds have now been turned over and left to rest, giving the soil time to recover and rebuild its nutrients ready for spring planting.
Bees: Our bees are safely tucked away for the winter, resting in their hives until the warmer weather returns.
Pollinator Zone: The pollinator area has been carefully cut back. This helps encourage healthy new growth and ensures the space is ready to burst into life when temperatures rise.
Pond Area: The pond is gradually becoming more established as the plants settle in. Each week brings a little more structure and biodiversity to this developing habitat.
Natural Bug Habitats
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting biodiversity, we’ve been making use of garden materials to create natural homes for insects. Grass cuttings, fallen twigs, and pruned branches have been gathered and arranged into small habitat piles around the grounds. These simple structures provide warm, sheltered spaces for beetles, woodlice, spiders, and other beneficial bugs to overwinter.
By reusing natural waste in this way, we’re helping to create a healthier ecosystem while reducing the amount of material that leaves the site. Over time, these bug homes will break down naturally, enriching the soil and supporting even more wildlife
These seasonal steps help maintain a healthy, sustainable environment that will flourish as we move into spring.
Kevin the Pineapple: Kevin has been carefully wrapped up warm for the winter months to protect him from the cold weather. This extra care helps ensure he stays healthy and continues to grow once temperatures rise again.
Energy‑Efficient Lighting: Inside our buildings, we’ve continued to focus on reducing energy use. More of our existing lights have now been replaced with energy‑efficient LED fittings, helping to lower electricity consumption and support our long‑term sustainability goals.
Term One
KEVI’s Green Transformation: Lighting Up and Growing Wild
Term One has been a vibrant and eco-conscious start at KEVI. In line with our sustainability pledge, we’ve replaced a large number of traditional lights with energy-efficient LEDs across the school. This upgrade not only reduces our energy consumption but also reinforces our commitment to creating a greener learning environment.
We’re equally thrilled to announce the addition of our very own nature pond! Students have been actively involved in learning how to plant in aquatic environments and understanding the vital role these plants play in supporting native wildlife. Our pond now hosts a beautiful selection of species including:
- Marsh Marigold
- Lythrum Salicaria
- Mentha Pulegium
- Myosotis Palustris (Water Forget-Me-Not)
- Sagittaria
- Veronica Beccabunga (Brooklime)
- Nymphoides Peltata (Fringed Water Lily)
- Mentha Aquatica
We can’t wait to see these flourish in full bloom next year! Even in its early days, the pond has already welcomed a happy toad, a flurry of dragonflies, pond skaters, and beetles—proof that nature is embracing our efforts.
Looking ahead, Phase 2 will introduce a dedicated platform for pond dipping and a gravel area designed to attract an even more diverse range of wildlife. It’s an exciting time for environmental learning at KEVI, and we’re proud to be nurturing both curiosity and conservation.
Autumn 2025 – Pumpkins and Grapes Galore!
We’re celebrating an exciting autumn harvest at KEVI!
- Pumpkin Power: Our pumpkins are ready and will be used for our House Competition—but don’t worry, nothing will go to waste! After the fun, we’ll be making pumpkin pie for all students to enjoy.
- KEVI Grapes: Our two grapevines have loved the warm weather this year. The grapes have been picked and added to the salad bar in Gino’s, giving everyone a taste of homegrown goodness.
This season shows how far we’ve come in creating a sustainable, productive school garden that benefits both our community and the planet.
Why Seasonal Eating is Good for the Planet
Eating food that’s in season has big environmental benefits:
- Lower Carbon Footprint: Seasonal produce is grown locally, reducing the need for long-distance transport and refrigeration.
- Fewer Chemicals: Seasonal crops often require fewer artificial inputs like pesticides and fertilizers.
- Supports Biodiversity: Growing a variety of crops throughout the year helps maintain healthy ecosystems.
- Fresher and Healthier: Seasonal produce is harvested at its peak, meaning better taste and more nutrients.
By enjoying pumpkins and grapes this autumn, we’re not just eating well—we’re making a positive impact on the planet!
Summer Holidays 2025
Summer Holiday 2025 – KEVI Bees Are Buzzing!
While the school community enjoyed a well-earned summer break, our site team was busy caring for our very own KEVI bees!
We installed a beehive back in the Easter holidays, and we’re thrilled to share that the bees have thrived in our eco-friendly, pollen-rich environment. Even more exciting—we’ve taken our first batch of honey, and it’s been a huge hit with the KEVI community!
Please take a moment to check out the images and video we shared with students last term to see this amazing journey.
A special thank you to everyone who made this possible, especially Mr. Matt Carr, our resident trained beekeeper, and Mrs. Kelly Boden, who has taken a real interest in beekeeping and even designed our very own KEVI honey label. This wonderful addition to KEVI wouldn’t have been possible without their dedication and passion.
Late Summer 2025
Celebrating Our Level 2 RHS Gardening Award!
We are thrilled to have received our Level 2 RHS Gardening Award this morning from the RHS Campaign for School Gardening—a wonderful recognition of our progress this year!
This award celebrates the growing involvement of our pupils in shaping our gardening plans, learning new skills, and using gardening to support their wellbeing. More students than ever have contributed ideas, taken part in planting and maintenance, and helped transform our outdoor spaces.
We’re still on our gardening journey, and thanks to the creativity of both pupils and staff, we’re excited to be developing a new garden area in the next academic year.
Well done to everyone who has played a part in making our school greener and more vibrant!
July 2025 KEVI Green Day
July 2025 Green Day
KEVI Green Day recorded by KEVI Students
Summer 2025
Summer 2025 – A Season of Success!
We’ve had an incredibly busy and rewarding summer term at KEVI!
- Harvest Time: We harvested lots of produce, including our potatoes, which were a massive hit with the KEVI community! We even received delicious photos and amazing feedback. Due to the popularity, we’ve agreed to increase the size of our beds next year to keep up with demand.
- From Seed to Plate: Mrs. Clark from Gino’s prepared meals using our homegrown salad selection—an amazing accomplishment! Nurtured by KEVI students from seed to kitchen, enjoyed by our community, and with virtually zero carbon impact.
- Beetroot Alert: A note for next year… beetroot is very popular!
- What’s Next: Our courgettes are still growing strong, and we’ve planted pumpkins ready for our autumn projects.
Thank you to everyone who supported us this term—have a fantastic summer!
Why Local Produce Helps the Planet
Growing and eating local produce is one of the simplest ways to reduce our carbon footprint because:
- No long-distance transport: Supermarket food often travels hundreds or even thousands of miles, creating emissions from trucks, ships, and planes.
- Less packaging waste: Homegrown food doesn’t need plastic wrapping or containers.
- Fewer refrigeration needs: Local produce doesn’t require energy-intensive cold storage during transport.
- Supports biodiversity: Growing a variety of crops locally helps maintain healthy ecosystems.
By growing our own food, we’re making a real difference—fresh, healthy, and sustainable!
Early Summer 2025
May 2025 Level 2 RHS Gardening Award – July
We are thrilled to announce that we received our Level 2 RHS Gardening Award this morning from the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, a wonderful celebration of our progress this year!
Through this award, more pupils have contributed to our gardening plans, developed new skills, and discovered how gardening can support wellbeing. We're still on an exciting journey, and thanks to ideas from both pupils and staff, a new garden area will be created in the next academic year.
Well done to everyone who has played a part in transforming our outdoor spaces!
May 2025
RHS Award School Gardening
We are so proud to have been awarded level 1 in the RHS Gardening Award
scan dhouldershaw 2025 06 10 13 32 06.pdf
Spring 2025
February - April 2025 – Growth and Colour Everywhere!
Spring has truly arrived at KEVI! Our school site is bursting with colour from tulips and daffodils, and our vegetable plot is springing into life.
- Potatoes are thriving and should be ready to harvest before half term, just as predicted.
- Peas are showing strong growth, and spring onions are coming along nicely.
All our salad crops are growing well, creating lots of excitement among the Gardening Club!
The weather has been mild and fairly dry, so we’ve been watering regularly to keep everything healthy. We’ve also added strawberry plants and courgettes to the plot, and we’re looking forward to watching them grow.
Thanks to generous staff donations, we’ve planted tomato plants in a sunny, sheltered spot in the garden.
And the best news? We’ve discovered an abundance of worms in the soil—fantastic for soil health and plant growth!
Why Worms Are Wonderful for Soil Health
We’ve discovered an abundance of worms in our garden—and that’s fantastic news! Worms are nature’s soil engineers. They:
- Improve soil structure by creating tunnels that allow air and water to reach plant roots.
- Enrich the soil by breaking down organic matter into nutrient-rich compost.
- Boost plant growth by making nutrients more available to roots.
Healthy soil full of worms means healthier plants, better harvests, and a thriving ecosystem!
Creating a School Orchard with the National Trust
Some of our fantastic pupils recently worked alongside Katie Scott, Area Ranger from the National Trust at Gunby Hall & Sandilands, to create a beautiful orchard on our school grounds.
During the project, pupils learned how to plant and care for apple and plum trees, gaining valuable knowledge about sustainability and environmental stewardship. Their hard work has transformed the space into what will soon be a peaceful and productive area for everyone to enjoy.
A huge thank you to Katie for her support and for generously donating the trees that made this project possible!
Early Spring 2025
March Gardening Club Update
This month, our Gardening Club has been hard at work preparing and planting our garden plots. Here’s what we’ve planted and when we expect to harvest:
- Potatoes (earlies) – Harvest in 12 weeks
- Peas – Harvest in 12 weeks
- Beans – Harvest in 16 weeks
- Tasty Mustard – Harvest in 12 weeks
- Butterhead Lettuce – Harvest in 12 weeks
- Beetroot – Harvest in 12 weeks
- White Salad Onions – Harvest in 12 weeks
- Pink Chard – Harvest in 12 weeks
Each week, the club has been watering, weeding, and monitoring soil temperatures. So far, the average soil temperature is 12°C and the average air temperature is 15.5°C—perfect for early growth!
We also explored soil sieving to understand our soil type. Our results showed a mix of mud, silt, and sand, which is a versatile combination for growing a wide variety of produce.
Why Growing Your Own Vegetables Matters for the Environment
- Reduces Carbon Footprint: Home-grown food doesn’t need to be transported from farms or supermarkets, cutting down on fuel emissions.
- Less Packaging Waste: No plastic bags or packaging are needed when you grow your own produce.
- Supports Biodiversity: Gardens attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, which are essential for healthy ecosystems.
- Improves Soil Health: Growing plants naturally enriches the soil and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
- Encourages Sustainable Living: It teaches us to value resources, reduce waste, and make eco-friendly choices.
Winter 2024
Winter 2024 – Let’s Go Zero in Action
As part of our Let’s Go Zero climate action plan, KEVI has formed an enthusiastic student group to help drive our sustainability goals forward.
Using funds from our Year 2 RHS Grey to Green grant, we’ve taken some exciting steps:
- Purchased reclaimed scaffolding boards to build a raised garden plot on disused concrete, ready to grow KEVI vegetables next year.
- Planned to buy topsoil, water butts, watering cans, essential tools, and seeds to get started.
- Installed water butts to capture rainwater from the school shed roof, ensuring we use sustainably collected water for our plants once they germinate.
- Added a pop-up greenhouse, which will help us protect seedlings that are sensitive to early frosts and extend our growing season.
This project is a big step toward reducing our carbon footprint, reusing materials, and creating green spaces in previously unused areas of our school grounds. We can not wait to get planting next year!
Autumn 2024
Summer 2024
- Reducing plastic waste from disposable bottles.
- Encouraging sustainable habits among students and staff.
- Promoting health and hydration in an eco-friendly way.
