CHILDREN at Llantilio Pertholey Church in Wales school spent the day at Llanfoist Recycling Centre on Wednesday, after asking teachers at the school what happens to their re-usable waste.
Staff at the recycling centre in Abergavenny, which is also known as the One Planet Centre, taught children from Reception, Year One and Year Two how waste is recycled by showing them recycling vehicles, tips, and helping the children to sort through materials.
Deputy headteacher at the school, Nicola Balkwyll, said she felt it was particularly important considering current plans to close Usk Recycling Centre.
The young pupils saw recycling trucks, sorting areas and spent time in the classroom
“It’s very topical and we’re lucky we’re in a time where recycling is talked about regularly,” Ms Balkwyll said. “It means it is accessible to the children and they can recognise it and ask questions.”
It was the children’s curiosity that led to the day trip, after they asked where their waste goes as part of the school’s ‘How do things work?’ curriculum.
- More News
“We want the children to have the freedom to be curious and ask questions, and they always come up with great ideas,” Ms Balkwyll said.
“I thought it was particularly good that the children learned how to sort their waste, and it’s something we’ve continued in the school this week.
“We’ve been making diaries for waste management and asking the children which materials go where, and I think they’ve gained a lot from it.
“Perhaps in the past people would have just dumped their waste in the skip, but times are changing and we want our children to be aware of that and facilitate those changes when they grow up.”
The students were intrigued about how best to sort their waste
The day didn’t just involve waste management classes, with staff at the recycling centre also talking to the children about the benefits of composting and preserving energy.
“It made it relatable for the children when the staff talked about switching their televisions off, for example,” Ms Balkwyll added.
“If the children can grasp good life lessons like recycling early on then I think it benefits everybody.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here