Derwentwater Primary Celebrates Double Environmental Win

Two awards recognise commitment to sustainability and outdoor learning

Derwentwater Primary School's Global Garden

July 23, 2025

Derwentwater Primary School has received two major environmental accolades, recognising its commitment to sustainability and outdoor learning. The school has been awarded both the Cultivating Ealing Best Community Supported School Garden 2025 and the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award with Distinction.

Following a visit to the school’s ‘Global Garden’, Cultivating Ealing named it the Best Community Supported School Garden in the borough for 2025. The judging panel described Derwentwater as a "lovely school with enthusiastic teaching staff, headteacher and children" and commended the garden’s "excellent variety of healthy vegetables and fruits."

The judges were particularly impressed by the range of features in the garden, including a greenhouse for preparing seeds and plants, a wormery for composting, a bug hotel, log pile, ponds, handmade bird feeders, a lavender and herb garden, and a bamboo play area. The school also runs produce sales to raise funds and uses the space as a forest school and a place for pupils to learn practical skills and tool safety.

Cultivating Ealing has provided the school with further suggestions to enhance the garden, including ideas on water management and birdwatching. Staff and pupils will officially receive the award at a presentation at Perceval House on 10 September.

“Derwentwater Primary School officially has the best school garden across the whole of Ealing,” said Headteacher Venessa Nicholas. “A special thank you to our staff and volunteers, Ryan, Eleanor, Iain, and Hannah, for their hard work, expertise, and dedication. Thanks to their efforts, the garden has become a wonderful place for our children to explore and enjoy.”

In addition to the garden award, the school has earned the Eco-Schools Green Flag for 2025, with Distinction, marking another milestone in its environmental journey. Mrs Nicholas praised the student-led environmental group, saying: “Congratulations to The Kids for the Climate, Ms Badau and Ms George! You have put in a lot of work to achieve this award.” The Eco-Schools team also offered their congratulations, stating: “Your children have truly impressed the Eco-Schools team, changing behaviours, inspiring others, and making a significant impact.”

Mrs Nicholas added: “This remarkable achievement is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and passion of our incredible pupils and staff in making our school a more sustainable and environmentally conscious place. The Eco-Schools programme, which helped our pupils develop The Kids for the Climate group, has truly ignited a passion for environmental issues in our pupils, empowering them to become informed and resourceful leaders. We are incredibly proud of their deep understanding of environmental issues and the lasting difference they are making in their lives and the community.”

Among the initiatives praised by the Eco-Schools programme were a community litter-pick, during which pupils collected 26 kilograms of waste; an energy monitoring project involving weekly electricity use analysis; sustainable travel campaigns; eco-themed writing projects in Year 6; and a whole-school upcycling project that turned waste materials into reusable and creative items.

Looking ahead, The Kids for the Climate group has identified its next priority: reducing single-use plastic in the community. The group will work alongside school leadership to develop a new policy aimed at meeting this goal.