Awards

There are three award levels within the Eco-Schools programme:

• Bronze
• Silver
• Green Flag

The Bronze and Silver awards are self-assessed online and trust is placed on each school to complete this process. If your school meets the award criteria, log in to the website to apply online and download your Bronze or Silver certificate.

Green Flag applications must be completed online in the new School Zone. The old paper application will no longer be accepted.

Once a school has been awarded the Green Flag it will need to reapply for the award every two years. First applications and renewals use the same application.

With the programme growing every year we are making a few changes to the application process to ensure that everyone who applies by the given deadlines are assessed on time. There are two suggested deadlines this year – one for renewals and one for new Green Flags. As always you can submit your Green Flag application at any time  however assessments will only now happen from March - June and awards given in June of each year. The deadlines for a guaranteed assessment in the 2021/22 school year are:

• If you wish for guaranteed assessment in the 2021/22 academic year, please have your application submitted before the end of March 2021.
  
• schools applying after these dates might not be assessed and awarded by the end of June.
  

We will do our best to assess schools submitting after the suggested deadlines but may find this difficult, particularly in the summer term, which is very busy. So beat the rush and get your application in early. We are always happy to help with assessment application queries on 02890 736920 or email eco-schools@keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org.

Whilst we are delighted to be able to offer Green Flag Assessments free of charge to all main-stream primary, post-primary, nursery, special and preparatory schools, there is a small charge of £200 for the Green Flag Assessment for private pre-schools, day nurseries and independent schools.