Green Flag Assessment Form

Eco-SchoolsGreen Flag AwardAssessment Form

Green Flag Assessment Form

School Name
School Address
Assessor Name
Assessment date
Eco-Coordinator’s name

What you should be looking for

Thank you for volunteering to undertake a Green Flag assessment. The main aim of your assessment visit is to confirm that the school’s approach and achievements are true to the information provided in their Green Flag application form. Remember that the Eco-Schools team has already completed a desktop assessment of the school’s application, so your focus is primarilyto confirm that:

Pupils are being supported to lead on Eco-Schools work
The school is striving to achieve a ‘whole school’ approach to Eco-Schools
For Green Flag renewals you must also check that the school has tackled any recommendations that were made following their last assessment

You will be able to assess the school against the criteria by questioning pupils and staff, and listening to them talk about their Eco-Schools work, and by observing physical evidence during your tour of the school.

Tips on what you should be looking for are provided against each of the individual criteria in the body of this form. Don’t forget, you can also read through the Assessor Handbook for a more detailed reminder of what to look for during assessment.

Possible assessment decisions

This assessment form is structured around the Green Flag award criteria, and requires you to record your recommendation for an assessment decision for each of the individual criteria. The possible assessment decisions are:

Pass: The school has clearly met the criteria in question

Pass with Requirements: The school is a borderline pass/fail, or in other words, requires more commitment and action in order to clearly meet the criteria in future. You must make a note of the actions required of the school in order for them to meet the criteria more fully when they are re-assessed in two years’ time

Defer: The school has significantly failed to meet the criteria in question. You must make a note of how the school failed to meet the criteria

Overall assessment result – your recommendations

If you recommend a ‘Pass’ for all criteria, the overall assessment result is ‘Pass’
If you recommend a ‘Pass with Requirements’ for one or more criteria, the overall assessment result is ‘Pass with Requirements’
If you recommend a ‘Defer’ for one or more criteria, the overall assessment result is ‘Defer’

After your assessment visit:

You do not need to tell the school your assessment recommendation(especially in the case of defer, where it is important that you discuss the assessment with the Eco-Schools team so that we can reach agreement upon the final outcome together). After your assessment is complete:

Please contact the Eco-Schools team as soon as possible on 01942 612614, so that we can inform the school of the result
Please return your assessment form within 10 working days of assessment, so that we can officially confirm the result with the school, and send out their letter, certification and Green Flag

Eco-Schools, Keep Britain Tidy, Elizabeth House, The Pier, Wigan, WN3 4EX

Green Flag Assessment – Criteria and Results

Eco-Committee – meets once a half term, pupils are significantly responsible for running, a parent and/or governor is involved, the school keeps records of meetings

Assessors should speak to pupils to find out how involved they are in running the committee, in decision making, and how they share what’s discussed in meetings with the rest of the school.

Example Question/s: How did you become members of the committee? How often do you meet?

Pass / Pass with Requirements / Defer
General comments plus notes on your decision:

For ‘Pass with Requirement’ list and highlight the required actions that the school needs to undertake to more fully meet criteria

For ‘Defer’ provide evidence of how the school failed to meet the criteria

Environmental Review – the school has completed a review (covering the 9 topics) with pupil involvement, discussed the results, and communicated the results with the rest of the school (follow up review?)

Assessors should speak to pupils (& staff) to find out how involved they were in the review, how they shared results with the rest of the school. Assessors DO NOT need to critique the environmental review as this has already been done as part of the desktop assessment of the school’s application.

Example Question/s: How did you do the review? What kind of things did you find out?How did you decide what Eco work to do in school?)

Pass / Pass with Requirements / Defer
General comments plus notes on your decision:

For ‘Pass with Requirement’ list and highlight the required actions that the school needs to undertake to more fully meet criteria

For ‘Defer’ provide evidence of how the school failed to meet the criteria

Action Plan – the school has produced detailed plan with timescales, targets, responsibilities & monitoring and evaluating info, and has shared the plan with the rest of the school

Assessors should speak to pupils (& staff) to find out how involved they were in the development of the action plan, how they share the plan with the rest of the school. Assessors DO NOT need to critique the action plan as this has already been done as part of the desktop assessment of the school’s application.

Example Question: How did you decide what to put into an Action Plan? What Eco work have you enjoyed being involved with the most?

Pass / Pass with Requirements / Defer
General comments plus notes on your decision:

For ‘Pass with Requirement’ list and highlight the required actions that the school needs to undertake to more fully meet criteria

For ‘Defer’ provide evidence of how the school failed to meet the criteria

Curriculum – the school can indicate that sustainability has been covered in 3 curriculum areas by most year groups

Assessors should speak to the committee(& staff) about Eco-Schools topics they have covered in class, and look at any evidence that highlights curriculum links (e.g. displays, lesson plans, examples of work, curriculum planning, etc.)

Pass / Pass with Requirements / Defer
General comments plus notes on your decision:

For ‘Pass with Requirement’ list and highlight the required actions that the school needs to undertake to more fully meet criteria

For ‘Defer’ provide evidence of how the school failed to meet the criteria

Please highlight which curriculum areas: English / Literacy, Maths / Numeracy, Science, Geography, History, Arts, PE, Music, ICT, Languages, Technology, Other …………………………..

Involving WholeSchool & Wider Community – prominent, designated notice board detailing Eco-Schools activities, regular communication about activities, sharing good practice with other schools

Assessors should view the Eco-Board, and speak to the pupils and staff about how else they communicate & involve the rest of the school and the wider community with Eco-Schools work

Example question/s: How do other people get involved? How do you let your friends know what you talk about in Eco-Committee meetings?

Pass / Pass with Requirements / Defer
General comments plus notes on your decision:

For ‘Pass with Requirement’ list and highlight the required actions that the school needs to undertake to more fully meet criteria

For ‘Defer’ provide evidence of how the school failed to meet the criteria

Have they used any outside agencies / organisations? For example local wildlife groups, BTCV

Monitoring & Evaluation – physical evidence of progress including data collection and analysis, included in curriculum work

Assessors should speak to pupils (& staff) about how they monitor their actions, and look at physical evidence of monitoring & evaluation (e.g. Graphs, before-and-after photos, examples of classwork, etc.)

Example Question/s: How do you know whether you have saved energy/water or reduced litter/waste?

What has worked well/ not so well?

Pass / Pass with Requirements / Defer
Notes on your decision:

For ‘Pass with Requirement’ list and highlight the required actions that the school needs to undertake to more fully meet criteria

For ‘Defer’ provide evidence of how the school failed to meet the criteria

Eco-Code – agreed, adopted and displayed in all classrooms, known and understood by majority of staff and pupils

Assessors should find out how involved pupils were in the development of the Eco-Code, confirm that the Eco-Code is prominently displayed when touring the school, and check knowledge and understanding of the Eco-Code.

Example question: Who made up your Eco-Code?When did you last review /change it?

Pass / Pass with Requirements / Defer
General comments plus notes on your decision:

For ‘Pass with Requirement’ list and highlight the required actions that the school needs to undertake to more fully meet criteria
For ‘Defer’ provide evidence of how the school failed to meet the criteria

Project Work – The school has addressed at least 3 of the 9 topics (in depth) (1st Flag), 5 of the 9 topics (2nd Flag), 7 of the 9 topics (3rd flag), and all 9 topics (4th flag).

Assessors should confirm that the school has tackled the topics listed in their action plan (e.g. by speaking to pupils (& staff), viewing physical evidence of the work included in the school’s action plan)

Pass / Pass with Requirements / Defer
General comments plus notes on your decision:

For ‘Pass with Requirement’ list and highlight the required actions that the school needs to undertake to more fully meet criteria
For ‘Defer’ provide evidence of how the school failed to meet the criteria

LitterFreeSchool Grounds - to at least a grade B (mainly litter free except for some small items)

Assessors should observe litter levels within the school grounds during the tour of the school and make a judgement on overall standards against the following scale:

Grade A – Litter free (pass)

Grade B – Mainly litter free except for some small items (pass)

Grade C – Widespread litter with minor accumulations (defer)

Grade D – Heavy litter with significant accumulations (defer)

Eco-SchoolsGreen Flag AwardAssessment Form

Grade A / Grade B / Grade C / Grade D

Eco-SchoolsGreen Flag AwardAssessment Form

General comments plus notes on your decision:

Please note below anypositive comments you’d like to make about particular strengths in the school’s Eco-Schools work. These comments will specifically go in the assessment letter that is sent to the school and will provide positive feedback.

If you have any suggestions for how the school can improve or enrich their Eco-Schools work (based on what you observed during your visit), please make a note of these below:

Overall Assessment Recommendation:

Pass

Pass with Requirements (please ensure you have stated what the required actions are for the criteria in question)

Defer (please ensure that you have already spoken to the Eco-Schools team about your recommendation, and that you have stated on this formhow the school failed to meet the criteria in question)

Please upload your completed Assessment form via the Assessor area of the Eco-Schools website, or return it by mailto: within 10 working days of the assessment date.

Thank you for completing this Green Flag assessment – The Eco-Schools team sincerely appreciates your time and dedication, and the contribution you make to the continuation of the Eco-Schools programme.