Tag Archives: The Co-operative group

Co-operative Revolutionises Green Education

An extensive, multi-channel green education programme that will revolutionise the way young people learn about sustainable and healthy living was unveiled this month by The Co-operative.

From now, all schools are invited to join The Co-operative’s Green Schools Revolution by registering at www.greenschools.coop, which will give them free online access to a wide range of cross-curricular classroom resources and activities, as well as a number of other valuable benefits for the first schools to sign up.

It will give young people the tools to inspire change in their schools, homes and local communities and teachers will have access to materials covering key stages 1 to 4, including lesson plans, topic webs, assembly presentations, classroom activities, debating topics, quizzes and competitions.

Schools will also be able to arrange free visits to The Co-operative’s own wind farm to see renewable energy in action and to one of seven Co-operative Farms to see how food grows and how to cook it. They will also be able to take advantage of support and free materials to set up walking buses at their schools.

In addition, a series of Green Schools Revolution events will take place across the UK from the autumn, including activity days at regional science and discovery centres, funded by The Co-operative.

Written by educational specialists, Green Schools Revolution is available free to all UK schools and incorporates many areas of the national curriculum for 5 to 16 year olds, including science, geography, literacy, citizenship, PSHE, maths, design and technology and art. It also provides valuable opportunities for learning outside the classroom and complements existing Eco Schools and Healthy Schools initiatives to help support schools on their sustainability journey.

Peter Marks, Chief Executive of The Co-operative Group, said: “Green Schools Revolution forms a major part of our £30million drive to inspire young people and is a key part of The Co-operative’s revolutionary Ethical Plan.

Via EPR Network
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Schools Unite To Form UK’s First Schools Co-operative

More than 100 primary, secondary schools and colleges in England are set to pool resources, expertise and buying power in the first organisation of its kind in the UK – the Schools Co-operative Society (SCS).

The announcement comes at a time when the Government is encouraging greater independence in education as part of major reforms and is designed to help schools help themselves in accordance with co-operative values and principles.

Already registered as a co-operative, the organisation’s governing body is now working on a strategy that will include:
• Sharing best practice in terms of teaching and management.
• Advancing the co-operative cause in the field of education.
• Using combined buying power – estimated at £100 million plus – to purchase a range of goods and services including energy, administrative services.

All the schools and colleges involved employ globally shared co-operative values such as self-help, democracy, equality, honesty and social responsibility both in their governance and in the curriculum. They are part of the Co-operative Schools Programme, one of the community projects which has been run by The Co-operative Group, the UK’s biggest mutual retailer, and the Co-operative College, the Movement’s educational charity, for the last eight years.

Dave Boston, head teacher of Sir Thomas Boughey Co-operative Business and Enterprise College in Newcastle-under-Lyme, has been appointed Chair of the SCS Board.

He explained: “Co-operative values and principles are more relevant than ever at a time when people are being urged to be more independent and less reliant on the state.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases