We are delighted to announce that our pupils recently secured both first place and highly commended in the junior edition of the Earthshot competition – organised by Canford School in Dorset.
The Earthshot Prize is a global initiative created to support and reward ambitious and practical environmental solutions. Each year five winners are chosen – one for each of the five “Earthshots”: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build a Waste‑Free World; and Fix Our Climate. Winners receive a substantial grant and support to scale their environmental impact.
To give children the opportunity to engage with these big issues, Canford runs its own junior version of the competition (for Year 5 and Year 6), inviting prep schools from the region to participate. Pupils choose one of the Earthshot categories and produce creative entries — posters, essays, presentations, or videos – explaining why their chosen finalist deserves to win.
Our pupils’ winning entries:
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One of our pupils chose the Waste‑Free World category. Their entry explored pressing global issues – from landfills in Malawi and pollution in our oceans to forward‑thinking architectural ideas such as “recycling buildings” (e.g. the Quay Quarter Tower in Australia) – arguing how sustainable building and waste‑free thinking can make a real difference.
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The other pupil focused on Revive Our Oceans, creating a compelling presentation in support of the High Seas Treaty. Their work included a video in which they explained the treaty’s founders, its aims, and why safeguarding our oceans is vital for the future of all life on Earth.
Both pupils remarked: “It was really fun making our PowerPoints and we loved taking part in the competition.” Their enthusiasm and hard work clearly paid off!
With entries this year from a huge number of prep schools across the region, the competition was more competitive than ever. Judges praised the creativity, detail and thoughtfulness of all submissions — but our pupils stood out for the strength of their ideas and the maturity of their reasoning.
This achievement doesn’t just reflect individual effort – it reflects our school’s values: encouraging curiosity, giving pupils a platform to express their ideas, and inspiring them to care for the world beyond the school gates.
We are incredibly proud of their success. Congratulations to them both for using their voices and creativity to advocate for a better, more sustainable future.
