For the last four years, we have run a student Eco Club, whose members have made an excellent contribution to early sustainable initiatives around the school. We now seek to build on this progress with an approach rooted in school policy and the curriculum, whilst still providing regular opportunities for students to get involved and learn practical skills.

Our Mission

At Hitchin Girls' School, our vision extends beyond the classroom. We pledge to embrace innovation to reduce our impact on the environment and aim for Net Zero. Our mission is “To grow a community that shows respect to its environment and aspires to nurture a future where others can thrive.”

We recognise that acting sustainably is about showing respect, both to those already facing the effects of climate change and to the students who will attend HGS in the future.

A Big Win: Second-Hand Uniform Sales

Your pre-loved uniforms are having a massive impact. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported our second-hand uniform sales. The numbers are in, and the impact is undeniable:

• Approximately 750 items of clothing are re-homed each year
• 5.6 tonnes of CO2e (Carbon Dioxide equivalent) saved annually!

To put that in perspective, extending the life of clothing by just 9 months can cut its carbon and water footprint by 20-30%. By choosing pre-loved items, our community is directly reducing waste and emissions. Thank you to Mrs Reilly for organising these sales over the last 10 years!

The Woodland Trust Tree-Planting

Roots of the Future – 195 New Trees for HGS! This November, we were excited to launch a major biodiversity project. Thanks to the Woodland Trust, we are taking delivery of 195 trees, including hawthorn, rowan, silver birch and hazel.

Years 12 and 13 students have been helping the younger ones to get stuck into tree-planting. We are currently two muddy sessions and 95 hedgerow trees down!

• Location: Although not immediately visible, the new hedgerows will be appearing in the staff car park along the fences, creating vital wildlife corridors in areas that have otherwise been wasteland over the last few years!
• Purpose: Planting hedgerows can sequester carbon and create a vital habitat for birds and invertebrates, whilst being easy to manage.

Carbon Footprint & Strategy

You can't manage what you don't measure! On 16^th September 2025, we completed our official Carbon Footprint Report using the ‘Count Your Carbon’ tool.

The headline figure… Total Carbon Footprint: 952.23 tonnes CO₂e per year.

This report breaks down our footprint across 11 categories. It serves as our baseline, allowing us to:

1. Identify where our emissions are highest.
2. Create a targeted Climate Action Plan for the next 1–3 years with a focus on Carbon reduction strategies.

Biodiversity Focus: Managing Our Grounds

Areas around the school site, notably around our Woodside and Sixth Form buildings, are currently looking a little ‘wilder’ than before. Our aim here is to implement a Grassland and Bramble Scrub Management Plan. In previous years, we have cultivated a lovely wildflower meadow. To continue to achieve this, we will keep sowing wildflower seeds, provided by Hertfordshire County Council, and through a multi-year rotational management of areas, we will maximise our support for biodiversity by leaving areas of denser vegetation.

Awards & Recognition

We are proud to announce that the hard work of our students, staff and Eco Club has been recognised by national initiatives. Many thanks to Mrs Taylor for her work towards the RHS School Gardening Level 5 Award, and to Mr Buckridge for supporting our Sixth Formers with their successful application for the Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction.

Getting Involved

A survey of our school community showed that while our students have high environmental awareness, we want to make it easier to turn that awareness into action.

• Students: Look out for upcoming House competitions and ‘Green’ initiatives.
• Parents/Community: Keep an eye out for our next uniform sale or contact us if you have expertise in sustainability you would like to share.

Many thanks for your continued support!

Mr Darcy Beardmore-Crowther

For more information or to share ideas and expertise please contact admin@hgs.herts.sch.uk