ENVIRONMENTAL issues took centre stage at Terrington Hall with a week of eco activities.

The projects included making bird boxes, tables and feeders for the conservation area; creating musical instruments out of recycled materials; and constructing scarecrows out of canes, chicken wire, straw and recycled clothes for the productive garden.

Two charcoal pits were built and stocked with wood split by the children; a geocache trail was laid; sculptures were modelled out of rubbish; lavish bug hotels appeared in the woods; sun-catchers were made from natural materials scavenged from the school grounds; bread was made and cooked over an open fire; sustainability posters and poetry were written.

In addition, Year 6 pupils attended an eco-conference at Bootham School and there were field trips to Howsham Mill to study renewable energy, make dens and build bug caravans, and to Robin Hood’s Bay to go fossil hunting.

The week ended with a fashion show of second-hand clothes modelled by the children and donated to the Great North Air Ambulance.

Terrington Hall’s head of science Peter Woolley, said: "The children spent the majority of the week learning outdoors and discussing eco issues such as sustainability, recycling and renewable energy. They were hugely enthusiastic participants in the activities and it was wonderful to see them develop a deep appreciation of the natural environment, its fragility and our collective responsibility to take care of it."