Sustainability

We are a Green Flag school with eco-friendly initiatives that reduce our environmental impact. These start in the classroom and expands to the community by engaging the next generation in action-based learning. Our goal and purpose is to produce generation after generation of sustainably minded, environmentally conscious people.  
 
A prime example of this is our school farm which provides fantastic hands-on learning experiences and creates strong community links across our school.  We place great emphasis on raising pupils’ environmental awareness and ensures real life learning scenarios. Our mission is to create a positive and socially aware environment in which we could educate not only our students, but also our school families about the benefits of sustainability. 

ECO SCHOOL 

GEMS Metropole is a ECO-Schools member. 

Eco-Schools is an international initiative designed to encourage whole-school action for the environment. It is an environmental management tool, learning resource and recognised award scheme.

The Eco-Schools programme engages children and young people in key issues including the environment, sustainability, global citizenship and the value of a low carbon future.

GREEN FLAG AWARD

Metropole was awarded Green Flag Status by the ECO-Schools Committee since 2021.

SDGs

GEMS Metropole ensures that all activities and events in the school promote Sustainable Development Goals, helping students to prepare for their future and contribute positively to the world.

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Agenda, adopted in 2015, includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030. Countries around the world have committed to taking action to meet these goals, such as ending hunger and poverty, creating sustainable cities and communities, and making health care available to all.

What are the ? Click the video above to learn all about them!

Metropole Farm Fresh 

As an outdoor classroom and experiential learning center, the Metropole Farm provides students with opportunities to work collaboratively with peers and staff to gain an appreciation of the importance of sustainability.

Students participate in all phases of soil preparation, sowing, cultivating, harvesting, consuming, and composting, which demonstrates the cyclical nature of organic processes and enriches their appreciation of how gardens can inspire and reward whole communities.

Crops to classrooms: growing engagement

GEMS Metropole Farm Fresh is a dedicated outdoor learning space with fruits and vegetables and to the delight of all our students, even some chickens, ducks and rabbits have taken up residence. Additional facilities include a hydroponics farm and potting shed for gardening in the hot summer months.

The benefits of incorporating an active farm in to our school provides fantastic learning advantages to our students and creates strong community links. Our mission has always been to create a positive and socially aware environment in which we could educate not only our students, but also our school families about the benefits of sustainability.

GEMS Metropole Farm Fresh is an integral component of the school’s educational, enterprise and vocational related activities as well as incorporating the requirements of our students with additional needs. Research has shown that school farms with livestock, enrich and embed the academic curriculum effectively across various subjects such as Science, Maths, English, Geography, Business studies and social and personal development. In real terms it is as simple as where would the students gain the most benefit and engagement in real-world experience? Well where else could you teach the importance of crop rotation in geography, the life cycle of a living animal in science and calculate the financial running costs of our farm in maths? The teaching and learning opportunities seem endless and that is the beauty of the practical elements of having a farm.

As a school we ensure students take on social responsibility by adapting their learning from our local community to the global stage. We tackle head on the United Nations Sustainability Goals and students relish the hands-on approach. Growing our own medicinal herbs, fruit and vegetables is a step in the right direction of creating an open dialogue across our school about social responsibility and how we can make positive changes in the world. Students feel that they are part of the global discussion and can make a real difference.

Our Prep and Senior Eco Committee members have made reusable bags, which will be sold at our very own MTS Farm Stall which will open later in 2022. The Eco Committees are perfect platform for our students to grow in their leadership roles, and provide a place where the students can share their ideas and sustainability goals for the school in all areas of the school.

The students regularly visit the farm to gain inspiration for their creative designs and thoroughly enjoy being involved in these social enterprise initiatives!

As our farm grows so does the passion within our children.  

Student quotes

"I love visiting the farm because it helps us with our learning that we do in class. In French, we were able to visit the animals and got to learn their names in a new language. I love the oiseaux that we have!" - Taim  Year 4

"The school farm is such an important resource for our school as it gives students a chance to show leadership capabilities as they become responsible for looking after the different plants and animals. Personally, I have loved being able to visit the rabbits that we have on the farm." -  Megan  Year 11

"Sustainability is so important in our school, I have been an Eco Leader and had the chance to raise awareness of all the amazing events that take place from Eco Art Month to World Bee Day. In my role, I have been able to show Leadership by speaking on the school radio as well as creating a video to be shared with all of the MTS community to advertise a competition with a sustainable element that took place." - Laiba Year 5