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Burhill and the Environment

At Burhill, we take our green credentials very seriously. 

We actively encourage all pupils, teachers and families to engage in activities to support our on-going environmental initiatives.

Our Eco-council is run by pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 who meet regularly to discuss creative ideas to promote environmental messages and incentives. Our Environment Committee is made up of elected members of the Pupil Parliament. They run termly projects to support all aspects of the school environment.

Here are some of our recent environmental highlights that we are all really proud of:

  • In conjunction with the TerraCycle scheme, we recycle pens and crisp packets
  • Our Friends of Burhill fundraising events are making great strides towards minimising the use of waste, such as single use plastic glasses
  • The ethos around our school trips has changed significantly. All pupils are discouraged from taking single use plastic bottles or throwaway bags and we have invested in six carts to transport and store lunch boxes for all off-site school trips
  • Rainwater from our water butts is used to water the many flower beds around the school
  • Our hugely popular second-hand uniform sales greatly reduce the number of new items bought
  • Every class has its own spider plant, helping to purify the air and encourage a connection with nature

If you have any environmental suggestions or ideas, please contact us.  We would love to hear from you!

Burhill Bees

In 2009, beekeeper and school mum, Sandra, was looking for somewhere to move her beehives. Our headteacher at the time was incredibly supportive because she knew how fundamental bees are to our children's future. We have had two more headteachers since then, who have encouraged this project and we now have five happy, healthy hives at school. 

The school apiary is located at the end of the field, where the children can see the 'Burhill Bees'. Beekeepers meet with reception classes to share their knowledge of bees including their hives, life cycle and importance to the environment. Wearing bee suits, small groups of children are then able to look into a hive and handle frames. This year we have done the same with Year 2 pupils.

We have two volunteer bee keepers who look after the hives and the apiary all year round, and we also have a wider team of excellent and enthusiastic volunteers who plant and maintain bee friendly plants. Happy, healthy bees make the best honey!

Last year we extracted around 137lb, which made around 60lbs of saleable honey. We sell 8oz for £4 and 12oz for £6 and all money made goes back into the apiary with the purchase of bee suits, gardening tools and specialist equipment. We sell the honey through our school office and at a local delicatessen. Burhill pupils help to design special labels for our honey, making it even more individual to us.

Our bees are currently working very hard and we hope to have further supplies of honey towards the late summer.

Our Chickens

We have several resident chickens at school.  Each week, it is the responsibility of a class to feed and look after them.  The children collect their eggs and decide as a class how to use them, often resulting in some delicious bakes being taken home after school.

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