The school’s Blue Planet Club began working towards the award earlier this year after students discovered that if changes aren’t made by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. 

Jon Bunker, who leads the school’s Blue Planet Club, said: “I am incredibly proud of the effort students put into winning ‘Ocean Friendly School’ status for Colfox. They have shown a great commitment to the marine environment and a determination to try and reduce pollution to improve things locally – well done everyone!”        

Students began the challenge to win accreditation by exploring the problem of marine pollution. They began by taking part in a seminar with Stephen Kelly of the Marine Conservation Society and then they examined items collected from the ‘Street to Sea’ litter pick, which was organised by the Bridport Litter Free Street Champions and the West Bay Beach Clean Group. 

Students then investigated how long it would take for the litter collected to break down in the sea, the average was 500 years! They also investigated where the items collected originated and found plastic waste associated with most aspects of human life.  

Students decided to act by writing to the managers of local supermarkets, Morrisons, Waitrose and Lidl to ask what they are doing to tackle the problem of plastic pollution and what they plan to do in the future to improve things.  

Blue Planet Club then started a campaign urging all students to use refillable water bottles rather than single-use plastic bottles. After completing all these actions students were awarded ‘Ocean Friendly School Status’ by the Marine Conservation Society. 

Adam Shelley, Headteacher of the Sir John Colfox Academy, said: “Well done to everyone who has worked hard to make Colfox an Ocean Friendly School, we are very proud to win this accreditation from the Marine Conservation Society. 

“Student Voice and empowering our students to be leaders with the power to change things is valued at Colfox. We were proud to become the first secondary school in the south west to achieve UNICEF’s ‘Gold’ Rights Respecting Schools Award – meaning students’ rights are valued and their voices are heard. Our students are taught to understand their rights and honour the rights of others. Respect for the environment and others is a key pillar of our ethos.”