Somerset Schools Program Hits 500 Visits, 71,000 Kids Taught

When kids start teaching their parents about recycling, you know something is working.

Somerset Council's Schools Against Waste programme just celebrated its 500th school visit at Priddy & St Lawrence's Federation school. Since 2018, this free educational programme has reached more than 71,000 children across Somerset, turning young students into environmental champions at home.

The programme partners with Carymoor Environmental Trust to deliver hands-on workshops right in primary school classrooms. Each half-day visit includes an assembly called "Talking Rubbish" and two workshops covering everything from food waste to composting to the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

The timing couldn't be better. About 41% of what Somerset residents throw in the rubbish bin could actually be recycled at the curb. That's a lot of waste that doesn't need to end up in landfills.

Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, who leads Communities, Environment and Climate Change at Somerset Council, sees the impact firsthand as a parent. "My children have come home and taught me about recycling, they now help us as a family with this weekly," she said.

Kate Oliver, the education officer at Carymoor Environmental Trust, says the visits go deeper than just sorting bins correctly. "These visits are about more than recycling; they inspire the next generation to care for the world around them," she explained.

The Ripple Effect

The programme has visited more than 200 primary schools and delivered over 1,000 workshops since launching. Teachers report the sessions are hands-on, engaging, and memorable enough that students carry the lessons beyond the classroom.

Children take what they learn home to their families, spreading better environmental habits throughout entire households. One school visit creates waves of change that touch parents, siblings, and communities.

Most Somerset primary schools can access the programme completely free through council funding. Schools using different waste collection providers can still book paid visits, ensuring no student misses out on learning how small actions create big environmental wins.

Every child who learns to sort waste properly today is an adult who will make better choices tomorrow.