Pupils have more than doubled their recycling rate in a year after taking a hard look at what was being thrown away — cutting general waste by almost half and transforming habits across the school.
Rydon Primary, part of Education South West, has reported a marked improvement in recycling and waste reduction following a second whole-school audit carried out by Devon’s Resource Futures, led by sustainability specialist Alex Mack .
The audit, completed last month, showed significant progress since the school’s initial assessment in April last year. It highlighted what the school described as a strong commitment from pupils, staff and the wider community to reducing environmental impact .
During the first audit, the school was sending 6.76 tonnes of general waste each year to an energy-from-waste plant and recorded a recycling rate of 25 per cent. By the second audit, general waste had fallen to 3.5 tonnes per year, while the recycling rate had risen to 62 per cent — an overall improvement of 47 per cent .
The figures reflect efforts to reduce waste contamination, increase effective recycling and improve understanding of the environmental impact of everyday decisions.
Central to the changes were the Rydon Pupil Ambassadors, led by teacher Ellie Thomas. The group was described as “fantastic” by Resource Futures, which praised their energy, leadership and commitment to sustainability .
Danny Brown, headteacher at Rydon Primary, said: “We are incredibly proud of the whole school community for achieving such a significant improvement in such a short space of time.
“The children have truly embraced the challenge. Their enthusiasm for looking after the environment has been inspiring.
“This project has shown our pupils that small changes really do add up to a big difference.”
Matthew Shanks, chief executive at Education South West, said: “This is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when pupils are empowered to take the lead.
“Rydon Primary’s progress demonstrates the impact of education in shaping responsible global citizens.
“We are delighted to see such impressive results and proud of the staff and pupils for their commitment to sustainability.”
