Sustainability

At Chewton Primary School we consider sustainability a lens through which we learn, play and act. Our bush and gardens provide fertile ground for learning about nature, food production and outdoor play. 

We have a dedicated sustainability teacher who is teaching the kids about growing food, composting and the environment around them. The classes participate in the River Detectives program. 

We proudly gained our Resource Smart Schools Five Star rating in 2017, and continually work maintain this status and grow a culture of thought and action in the areas of Biodiversity, Energy, Water and Waste. Our staff are committed to integrating learning in these areas, with classrooms taking a lead on a rotating basis in each of the different areas throughout the year.

In 2023 we won a the Resource Smart School Awards with Sustainability Victoria for our work connecting with local Indigenous knowledge holders to learn about their sustainable practices. 

We have a purpose-built outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, vegie patch, fruit trees and chicken pen. These facilities enable our students to regularly work with parent volunteers to grow food, help make whole school lunches and do some pretend 'cooking' of their own at break times. 

Our frog bog, compost bays and worm farm are great places to observe and learn from nature, and they provide the opportunity to get a little grubby! 

Students also enjoy cubbies making in the winter months and our end-of-term school cook-ups in the school's bush zone are highlights throughout the year. 

Students and staff work in conjunction with local Castlemaine group Connecting Country to increase, enhance and restore biodiversity in our school grounds and in our bush block at the rear of the school.

Biodiversity video produced by Aiden Mawson Year 6