March Newsletter
Hello Eco-Coordinator,
Welcome to the month when spring officially begins!
With just under 2 months until the Eco-Schools Green Flag submission window opens on 1st May, now is a great time to focus on outdoor projects, deliver environmental curriculum links, and inspire your community by sharing the positive environmental impacts you’re creating.
With the window remaining open until 31st July, you still have plenty of time left to deliver activities and finalise your application. Below you’ll find inspiration, updates, and practical support to guide you on your journey. And if you need anything more, our team is always here to help.
Great Big School Clean 2026
Running from 13th to 29th March, the Great Big School Clean is a fantastic addition to any Action Plan. Each year the School Clean mobilises hundreds of thousands of young people to pick up litter as part of the Great British Spring Clean, since 2016 this mass-action campaign has seen 4.5 million bags of litter removed from our environment. Sign up above, kick start the campaign with our free digital resources, and lead change!
A Green Flag for You, a Tree for Our Planet
We’re delighted to announce that this application window we will once again be working with JUST ONE Tree to plant a tree for every Green Flag awarded. In the last three years, this has led to more than 6,000 trees being planted, with the capability of removing almost 2,000 tonnes of CO2 from our atmosphere over the next 25 years. Click above to find out more, learn about JUST ONE Tree, and register for their day of action on October 16th 2026!
Cut Your Carbon Impact Report 2025
In November 2025, more than 100,000 young people across the UK took part in our Cut Your Carbon campaign. They completed up to six simple actions that reduced their carbon emissions, raised awareness, and inspired others to change their everyday behaviours. Their actions, created an immediate impact, potentially preventing over 500,000 kg of CO2e entering our atmosphere. Read the full report to find out more!
Eco-Schools: Training Session 3
Registration is now open for our third training session of the year. This 30‑minute session offers practical guidance on completing your Green Flag application and what to expect during assessment. Beginning at 16:15, the school session takes place on 22 April, and the Early Years session on 23 April. Visit our website to learn more, or sign up for our final Session 2 dates, which are this week and next.
Eco-Projects: End Engine Idling
This month’s spotlight Eco‑Project is End Engine Idling. With Transport responsible for a significant chunk of our country’s carbon emissions, and young people particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, this project empowers pupils to take action. Through a simple awareness‑raising campaign focused on pick‑up and drop‑off times, learners target unnecessary emissions and promote cleaner air around their school.
Don’t forget there are nine more Eco‑Projects to explore when you log in to your Eco‑Schools account, start an application, and head to the Step 3 resources.
What Else is Happening?
- My Environment, My Future have launched their 2026 competition, “Think Smart, Live Green.” This competition invites pupils to redesign a local building or space with a strong focus on sustainability. This year, they are extending the age range to include KS2. The closing date is May 2026, and there are exciting prizes to be won!
- Suppliers of all things worm‑related, The Urban Worm, have recently launched their Worm School resources. Aimed at KS1 and KS2, these free resources include simple instructions for creating your own worm farm using easy‑to‑find materials. They also highlight the importance of worms, offer engaging worm facts, and provide guidance on how to be a successful worm farmer.
- The Big Walk and Wheel 2026 takes place from 16th to 27th March. Open to all primary and secondary schools across the UK, it’s free to take part, with daily prizes up for grabs. Each day of the challenge, schools compete to achieve the highest percentage of pupils walking, using a wheelchair, scooting, or cycling to school.
- Earth Hour 2026 takes place on Saturday 28th March at 8:30 pm. During this global moment of solidarity, millions of people around the world switch off their lights for one hour to show they care about the future of our planet. Although it happens outside school hours, you can still create a whole‑school moment by promoting the event, sharing activity ideas, and celebrating pupils’ stories afterwards. For inspiration and resources, check out the WWF website, link above.
- You still have until Friday 13th March to apply for one of Learning Through Landscapes’ Local School Nature Grants. These grants provide outdoor learning training for staff, a school grounds climate survey, a climate curriculum kit, and £500 worth of outdoor equipment chosen from a catalogue of over 100 items. It’s well worth taking a look, equipment on offer includes litter‑pickers (perfect timing for the Great Big School Clean), gardening tools, wildlife cameras, and much more!
- Let’s Go Zero’s next free, online workshop is Greening the Curriculum: Taking climate education beyond the Geography lesson on Thursday 19th March 2026 3:45 – 4:45 pm. This workshop looks at practical solutions to include more sustainability in your curriculum. Click here to register, and explore other upcoming sessions including water-saving, promoting active travel, and school procurement.
- If you work in a school in the Borough of Guildford, you have until 22nd May to enter the 2026 Schools in Bloom competition. The competition theme is Food for Nature, Food for Me – click the link for further information and judging criteria.
We’ll be in touch over the next few months with advice on the application window and news about our updated award packs, so keep an eye on your inbox. Until then, have a great month and enjoy the early days of spring!
