Youngsters at a Kingsteignton primary have shown that their clean and green credentials

Pupils at Rydon Primary, part of Education South West, are celebrating a remarkable improvement in the school’s recycling and waste‑reduction efforts following a second whole‑school waste audit carried out by Devon’s Resource Futures, led by sustainability specialist Alex Mack.

The audit, completed last month, showed dramatic progress since the school’s initial audit in April last year, demonstrating the commitment of pupils, staff and the wider school community to making meaningful environmental change.

In the first audit the school was sending 6.76 tonnes of general waste each year to the Energy from Waste plant and had a recycling rate of just 25%. By the second audit general waste had been reduced to 3.5 tonnes per year and the recycling rate had risen dramatically to 62%.

This represents a 47% improvement overall. These impressive figures reflect a whole‑school effort to reduce waste contamination, recycle more effectively, and understand the environmental impact of everyday choices.

At the heart of this success were the Rydon Pupil Ambassadors, led by teacher Ellie Thomas, who were praised as’fantastic’ by Resource Futures for their energy, leadership and passion for improving sustainability at school. Their work has inspired pupils across all year groups to rethink their waste habits and embrace recycling with enthusiasm.

Danny Brown, Headteacher at Rydon Primary, said: “We are incredibly proud of the whole school community for achieving such a significant improvement in such a short space of time.

“The children have truly embraced the challenge, and their enthusiasm for looking after the environment has been inspiring. This project has shown our pupils that small changes really do add up to a big difference.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West, added: “This is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when pupils are empowered to take the lead.”