Learning for Sustainability
Learning for Sustainability (LfS) is an approach to life and learning which enables pupils, parents, schools and their wider communities to build a socially-just, sustainable and equitable society. As an umbrella term LfS weaves together global citizenship, sustainable development education and outdoor learning to create coherent, rewarding and transformative learning experiences that support young people’s development and understanding of the world around them.
LfS is an entitlement for all learners within the Curriculum for Excellence and both the UN Sustainable Development Goals & UNCRC are central to Scotland’s national vision.
Ocean-friendly Schools Award
The Ocean-Friendly Schools Award is all about learning about the ocean and building pupils' confidence in taking action to protect it. Our GL3-4 class lead on this committee work and have been busy exploring the issue of Marine Pollution and taking action to improve the issue whilst also teaching the rest of the school about what they have learned.
Bumblebee-friendly Schools Award
Our GM1-3 class are our Bee Committee and they are helping the rest of the school and our wider community learn about how important bumblebees are.
Why bumblebees need our help?
The UK has lost 97% of wildflower meadows in the last century. Bumblebees are struggling to find enough food and good nesting spots to survive.
The UK’s bumblebees are in crisis
Bumblebees are a cherished part of our natural world. Their loud buzz is a distinctive feature of our gardens, parks and the wider countryside throughout the summer. They not only bring a smile to our faces but also play a crucial role in pollinating crops and wildflowers, which contributes millions to the economy. Without bumblebees our world would be quieter, less colourful and lack many of the foods we love. Without bumblebees, we could soon face our own crisis.
The UK is currently home to 24 species of bumblebee. Two bumblebee species have become extinct in the last century. A further eight bumblebee species are currently listed as conservation priority species due to large-scale declines.
One of our rarest bumblebees, the Great Yellow bumblebee (Bombus distinguendus) is now only found in the far north and west of Scotland and perhaps the rarest UK bumblebee species, the Shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum) is found only in a handful of locations in south Wales and southern England.
Why is this happening?
Habitat loss
The UK has lost 97% of wildflower meadows in the last century. Bumblebees are struggling to find enough food and good nesting spots to survive.
Pesticides
Insecticides can directly kill or affect the ability of bumblebees to find food and reproduce. Herbicides kill the flowering plants which are a vital food source for bumblebees.
Climate change and extreme weather
Shifts in seasonal patterns and weather could disrupt bumblebee behaviour and impact survival at key life stages, such as spring emergence, nesting, and winter hibernation.
Extreme weather events like floods, droughts and storms can have an immediate impact on bumblebees. Floods can drown hibernating queens and underground nests. Droughts can cause plants to wither and die which reduces the amount of nectar and pollen available for bumblebees to feed on and collect for their nest. Storms prevent bumblebees from foraging for food as they struggle to fly in wet windy weather.
How to identify a bumblebee...
