Colette Cotton

UK
Co-teacher: Denise Judd
Large coastal primary school in a socially deprived area of South East England, 5 minutes walk from the famous White Cliffs, can see France on a clear day across the English Channel. We are fortunate to have large school grounds in which we have a Forest School. We have embedded Global work and the SDG's across our curriculum. We participate in the annual RSPB 'School's Bird Watch' every January/February. We have held the British Council's International School Award continuously since 2005 and p

 

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School: Folkestone St Mary's CEP Academy 100 students are involved The average age of the students: 5-11 År

Projects 2022

What is Climate Change?

A change in the expected pattern of the weather and seasons. Extremes that are abnormal such as heatwaves, causing droughts, torrential rain causing flooding anywhere in the world.

Our partner school in the Punjab region of India, had to close the school for the first time ever due to flooding casuing us to cancel our planned Zoom meeting on Hinduism with their Year 4 students. Photo of mail attached.

Other Countries

Pupils chose 3 continents and then 3 countries to view the work from. They loved the art work from Mexico, thought the children were amazing. They were glad to see the tree planting happening in Nigeria but couldn't believe all the rubbish everywhere that the pupils were trying to clear. Turkey was their Asian choice this week and they loved everything that was happening there, especially the banners that the students had made with statements on linked to action we should take to help prevent Climate Change. Some of the pupils then went to look at the Apple Trees we'd planted in June for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee and made a video whilst there.

The two apples trees are a Kentish Bountiful Apple, suitable for  growing on chalk soil that we have at school  and producing delicious cooking apples in the Autumn. The other smaller tree, needed to pollinate the Kentish bountiful is a Crab Apple, which in the Spring is smothered with pale pink blossom, which the bees love and in Autumn has large clusters of small rather bitter apples,  excellent for making Crab Apple Jelly. We hope they will survive and have watered them regularly though our very dry summer.

Endangered Species

Deforestation is one of the results of the causes of Climate Change and the loss of habitat for many species. We have adopted an Orangutan, who is being looked after at the Sepilock rehabilitation canetre in Sandahan, Borneo, Malaysia. His name is Zorro and he was found  all alone at the side of a road, when he was ony 3 months old. He is now 3 years old and learning quickly how to climb ropes and trees and has made lots of orangutan friends at the Centre. He is now trying to nest building, but these are too weak to support him at the moment! 

We used old newspapers and magazines to make these pictures of some of the endangered animals in the world.

We also shared this work with our partner school DAV BRS in Ludhiana in India, where we entered their world competition about 'Recycled Craft'. We came 2nd in this event with our endangered species out of old newspapers and magazines.

Pollution of our Oceans

Some of the pupils who need extra support in school have been working on our Oceans. They turned their class into a giant Ocean, with turtles caught in a net hanging from the cieling. They learnt about the plastic and other items that are being thrown into our oceans. They created their own inventions out of rcycled materials to help clean the oceans.

They read an amazing book about a Turtle and also a whale that was caught in a net. they came up with their own ideas about to help stop pollution in our oceans.


Impressions

Images by Colette Cotton 2022-10-08Cotton
Images by Colette Cotton 2022-10-21Cotton
Images by Colette Cotton 2022-11-01Cotton
Images by Colette Cotton 2022-11-01Cotton