Young changemakers from Kent raise awareness of ocean plastics
Young changemakers from Year 5 and 6 at Temple Ewell Primary School, near Dover formed a ‘Transform Our World’ group in October 2024 and chose to focus on the issue of plastic in the sea, deciding to create meaningful change by taking this message to their whole school community.
Inspiration and creative output
Some of the students had been inspired by a large plastic whale made by a local environmental group, and decided they wanted to make their own models out of waste plastic to raise awareness of the issue.
The students created a number of sea creatures including an octopus, jellyfish, turtles and a whale – covering the willow frames with crisp packets and other plastic packaging collected from pupils’ packed lunches.
Spreading the message to the whole school
The group hosted an assembly, writing the script and planning content completely by themselves. They entered to the tune of ‘Under the sea’ dancing with their sea creatures!
The headteacher was very supportive, and said she wants to use the name ‘changemakers’ and ensure everyone in the school gets an opportunity to take part in social action each year. She has agreed the sea animals can be permanently hung from the high ceiling in a school corridor.
Changemakers Harriet, Coco and Isla said: “To take part in the project felt good because you knew that you were having some fun but you were still helping the animals...and the sea and the planet and the rubbish."
The group's legacy to all classes
Each class in the school received a special delivery from the changemakers, who had decided to spend their project budget on books about sea life, to raise awareness and understanding of our oceans and how to take action for our planet.
The group enthusiastically delivered the books to each class on the last day of term.
Tackling waste in the school environment
The group had discussed buying a recycling bin for collecting crisp packets.
However, we discussed the problem that there is nowhere to safely dispose of the crisp packets to ensure they are recycled (and it was likely this job would get overlooked). Instead we returned to the original focus of the group – which was on littering – and decided the first priority is that there is no litter blowing around the school site or village park.
So the remaining project funds were spent on a set of child-sized litter grabbers, to be used by any classes in the school, for litter picking.
Young changemaker Elizabeth said: “It feels exciting because I feel like I’m making a change by doing something small, because the smallest things can make a change.”
Temple Ewell Primary School is supported by Liz Hayes, Transform Our World Youth Engagement Practitioner for Kent, supported by #iwillfund and National Lottery Community Fund.
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