Youngsters at Ripple Primary School in Barking held their very own climate change conference as part of a special Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Week.

The theme of the STEM week was ‘Repairing our planet’, with a focus on recycling, reusing and regenerating. 

Pupils in the School Council presented a manifesto to an invited audience, which included special guest Councillor Andrew Achilleos, Barking and Dagenham Council’s Member Champion for Climate Change. 

"We all need to work together to create a cleaner, greener borough, and the work going on in our schools shows how passionate our young people are about this important cause."

Headteacher, Roger Mitchell, said: “The conference was an excellent event.

“Our young people are well aware of the challenges facing our planet and are ready to hold the older generation to account for securing a better future for them.

“I am very proud of how well they prepared their questions for Councillor Andrew Achilleos who attended the event.”

Children across the whole school were involved in the themed week. Pupils from nursery to year 6 were invited to participate in a design competition to create a ‘Save our planet’ poster or design a globe. And a special dressing up day at the end of the week, where children dressed in colours that represented different environmental themes, raised money for the school to buy globes for each class. 

Barking and Dagenham Council has recently launched the next phase of its Cleaner and Greener Barking and Dagenham campaign, calling on residents to do their bit for the planet by recycling more at home.

Councillor Evelyn Carpenter, Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, said: “We all need to work together to create a cleaner, greener borough, and the work going on in our schools shows how passionate our young people are about this important cause.

“Well done to the pupils and staff at Ripple Primary for coming together to inspire positive change.”