Sustainability

At the David Ross Education Trust, we are committed to building a greener, more sustainable future for our students, staff and communities. Every academy plays a part in reducing our environmental impact and inspiring young people to take positive action for the planet. On this page, you’ll find our school’s Climate Action Plan along with updates on projects and activities that showcase how we are putting sustainability into practice.

Academy Climate Action Plan

Carbon Footprint Comparisons

We are so proud to have reduced our carbon footprint from our initial baseline from January 2025 to June 2026. The Academy remains committed to building on the progress achieved this year and will continue to work towards creating a more sustainable future for students, staff and the wider community.

What we do

Our computers are set on timers to automatically shut down at the end of the school day. 💻
Our heating has efficient timings and temperatures set throughout each day to minimise unnecessary energy use. 🔥
Our catering teams use fairtrade ingredients in their dishes and serves vegan and vegetarian options daily, including plant-based and meat free days. 🍝
Our resources are managed effectively in house so there is minimal waste and spend. 💰
Our lighting is being switched to LED and internal/external lights are motion sensor. 💡
Our swimming pool has a cover to retain heat temperatures when not is use. 🏊‍♂️
We have controlled water flow measures in our toilets. 💧
Water fountains are around the academy for filling up water bottles. ⛲
We share coaches with local schools for trips to reduce carbon emissions. 🚐
The Academy has an orchard area with trees that produce apples, plums and pears, and a variety of plants to attract butterflies and bees such as Buddleia and Lavender bushes sited around the Academy. 🌳🌱

Recycling

Recycling is important as it helps us sustain our planet for future generations to come. Reusing materials that can be recycled prevents more waste going to landfill or incineration, which generates harmful greenhouse gases!
Havelock has dedicated recycling units throughout various areas of the school site for plastics, food waste and paper/card which are clearly labelled. The academy also partners with local authorities and organisations to recycle harder-to-recycle items like batteries, mobile phones, printer cartridges and scrap metal.
We teach our students the importance of their efforts through the curriculum, assemblies, lessons and community experiences.

Long Term Plan

To support strategic development, the Academy held two Sustainability Leadership Meetings on 21 January and 20 May 2026. These meetings reviewed progress against the Climate Action Plan and considered further actions to be implemented during the remainder of the academic year. Discussions also focused on longer-term priorities for 2026/27, including operational sustainability projects and opportunities to strengthen links between sustainability and the curriculum. This whole-school approach ensures that environmental responsibility remains embedded within Academy leadership, learning and daily practice.

Pre-loved uniforms

Second hand uniform is an option for our families, with an independent Facebook page being available (not run by the school) for swaps and sales of Havelock and other local school uniform.

At the academy we also gratefully accept donations of second-hand uniform as students leave or grow out of it. This is then available to students from Student Services and from our Pastoral Manager, Mrs Thornton. Please contact Mrs Thornton at the academy on tthornton@havelockacademy.co.uk or via main reception.

Projects & Activities

Coming up/ongoing:

Havelock Academy continues to make strong progress in delivering the actions outlined within its Climate Action Plan. During the Summer Term, sustainability has remained a key priority across both operational activities and curriculum enrichment, providing students with meaningful opportunities to develop their understanding of environmental responsibility and climate action.

Food Production

A significant focus this term has been on promoting sustainable food production and healthy lifestyles. Students have been actively involved in growing their own herbs, salads and vegetables, enabling them to learn about food production and the journey of food from farm to fork. This practical experience has helped students develop a greater appreciation of sustainable agriculture, food security and the environmental impact of food choices.

Sensory Garden

Plans to develop an enrichment 'Gardening Club' will be a focal point academic year 2026/2027 to incorporate learning through play where students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds can learn together. We successfully secured funding to install a 'Sensory Garden' which was completed by Timotay Playscapes. This will provide opportunities for wellbeing and personal development not to mention mindfulness and emotional regulation. As students work together they will develop social skills, share responsibilities and collaborate on projects whilst also promoting physical activity through digging, planting, weeding and maintaining the garden. Students will also understand the vital relationship between plants, insects, biodiversity and food production with pollinator planting and organic veg gardening. Staff have already begun to experiment with nourishing the soil and locating the movement of the sun to identify which plants will thrive where. There is the start of a herb section and successful growth of sunflowers and tomatoes. All fruit, veg and herbs grown will be used in Food Tech lessons to support 'Farm to Fork' knowledge.

Previous activities:

Walk/Cycle/Carpool to Work Week

The Academy also participated in a Walk, Cycle and Carpool to Work Week initiative, encouraging staff and students to consider more sustainable methods of travel. The campaign aimed to reduce carbon emissions, congestion and air pollution while contributing to a healthier and more pleasant local environment. Early feedback has been positive, with participation helping to raise awareness of the role that individual travel choices can play in reducing the Academy’s environmental impact. Data capture forms are being analysed and will help inform future sustainable travel planning.

Clean Air Day

Strand Roof Project

Partnership working has continued to play an important role in the Academy’s sustainability journey. On 22 May 2026, a group of students from Years 7–9 attended Strand Primary Academy to support the development of a rooftop sustainability project in partnership with Strand Primary Academy and Lincolnshire Co-op. Students demonstrated creativity and innovation while helping to design and plant the rooftop space. As part of the project, they researched suitable plant species and explored ways to repurpose old wellington boots as planters, supporting sustainability through recycling and reducing project costs. The project has provided students with valuable experience in biodiversity enhancement, sustainable design and environmental stewardship.

Living World

Curriculum enrichment has also been strengthened through a series of assemblies delivered by Mr Trussell during the week commencing 11 May 2026. These assemblies focused on the Living World, exploring food chains, food webs and the threats facing tropical rainforests. Students developed their understanding of ecosystems, climate zones, life cycles and the importance of protecting natural environments. The programme reinforced the significance of managing resources responsibly and highlighted the role individuals can play in supporting sustainability and environmental conservation.

The Great Big School Clean

During Friday 13th March to Sunday 29th March 2026, our students took part in 'The Great Big School Clean'. This was a great way to get our students outdoors while making a visible difference in the community. Since the campaign began in 2016, more than 4.5 million bags of litter have been removed from streets, beaches, parks, and green spaces. Great Big School Clean | Keep Britain Tidy.

Young people who spend time in natural environments, such as participating in litter-picks, have a more nature connectedness and will have significantly better mental health as a result! Making small environmental changes within our schools and communities can have a large, lasting impact for everyone.

Switch Off Fortnight

The Switch Off Fortnight campaign ran from November 10th to November 23rd 2025. It's an annual energy-saving campaign for schools that empowers students to reduce energy use by switching off lights and appliances.

What is Switch Off Fortnight?

It's a campaign that runs every November to help schools and students learn about energy use and saving energy.
Schools commit to turning off unused appliances and lights for two weeks, aiming to reduce their energy consumption.

Benefits

Educational: Students learn about energy usage and its impact on the environment.
Practical: Schools can actively save energy and reduce their energy bills.
Environmental: Helps to tackle climate change by reducing energy waste

Our Impact

During Switch Off Fortnight, we reduced our electricity usage by 3.4% compared to our average of the last year.
Over the Christmas holidays, our electricity usage decreased by 9.9% compared to Christmas 2024/25. This is equivalent to 2,700kWh and saved 110kg CO2

Switch Off Fortnight helped us to change our habits for the better so we can continue to keep our electricity usage to a minimum.

Curriculum

Resource Management

Our Y11 students studied 'Resource Management' for their GCSE’s 2025-26 focusing on food miles, local food sourcing, organic produce and sustainable food supplies. Through the curriculum they are learning how food demand affects the UK’s carbon footprint, how new energy sources and biotechnology are changing the world and how this impacts the state of food security for the economy in years to come.

Havelock Academy

DRET