ECO-MINDED pupils at Oak Cottage Primary School have been praised for their work to save the environment.
Saqib Bhatti, Meriden and Solihull East MP, commended the work of the school’s Eco Committee.
Mr Bhatti visited the school to see how the pupil-led group, made up of those who want to make a difference to sustainability in the local community and beyond. Formed just last year, the Eco Committee has already met and exceeded every goal it set for itself.
Among their achievements, the Eco Committee has installed solar panels after successfully passing a Severn Trent audit, eliminated single-use plastics from school lunches, introduced a school-wide recycling programme, and launched a book swap initiative to encourage reuse.
The pupils have also grown their own produce for school meals, cared for local wildlife, and used night-vision cameras to monitor animal activity around the school grounds.
The committee also collected 240kg of unwanted clothing for reuse, reduced lunch waste from 10kg to 8kg, composting the remainder and they have created their own nature documentaries.
They also marked World Environment Day with cross-class activities and creative environmental projects. Impressively, the students have taken ownership of energy efficiency across the school, even reminding staff to switch off unused lights and electronic devices.
Mr Bhatti said: “The pupils at Oak Cottage are setting a powerful example, not only to their peers but to the wider community, including local businesses. Their work proves that meaningful environmental leadership can start at any age.
“These young leaders are proving that climate action doesn’t have to be top-down—it can come from the classroom, from the playground, and from the hands of those who will inherit the future.”