In 2019 Chatham received a Special Award in the Totally Creative category for schools in northern England.
The Better Energy School Awards is open to children aged 5 to 11. However, the judging panel was so impressed by what Chatham Nursery School had achieved that the decision was made to create a Special Award just for us! So, Chatham Nursery School received a special certificate to mark our achievements.
Almost 42,000 children were involved in submitting projects for the Awards, so to be Highly Commended was quite an achievement.
Reducing is cutting back on the amount of rubbish we make, reusing is finding a new way to use things we no longer need so that we don’t have to throw it out, and recycling is using unwanted items to remake new goods that can be enjoyed again.
The Nursery Environment
At Chatham we are committed to recycling and with very young children we do this in the most meaningful way.
Within the continuous provision we have reducing recycling and reusing resources to support all areas of the curriculum, giving children first hand experience of reinventing the use of a resource in a creative or practical manner.
We teach the children to value items and encourage creative and critical thinking.
Recycling for Chatham isn’t a one off project it’s an approach that we embrace.
Parent’s carer’s children and Governors are invited to join in with our commitment to recycling and participate in two big, bi-anual recycling events – One At Christmas time/December “Christmas Craft day” and a second event in the Summer term our “Environmental Day”
We encourage our parents to make an active contribution to our recycling commitment. We involve them in many aspects of nursery life. We value a parent as the child’s first educator so it is important that we get parents on board to have that partnership and commitment to recycling.
Here is a selection of things we create with recycled materials
Wind Chimes
Unwanted chains, cutlery, bangles and anything that could jangle were donated recycled and reused to make our wind chimes.
Baubles
Recycling old light bulbs to make Christmas tree decorations.
Pompom
Recycling old packaging and donated wool to create beautiful colourful pompoms.
Large scale Art Work
Using extra large donated roller blind
Bug Houses
Recycled crates pots, wood shavings, paper and old bark were collected and reused to make the Bug Houses to encourage wildlife to inhabit the nursery garden.
Rag Rug Making
A pack was sent home, which included a square of coffee sack and small scraps of material. The returned pieces were then stitched together to make our rag rug wall hanging.
Clocks
Old biscuits tins and strong boxes were used to make clocks. A practical and functional addition to any room!