Woodstock CE Primary School invests in energy efficient classrooms
Pupils at Woodstock CE Primary School are set to benefit from environmentally friendly classrooms after successfully applying for a schools energy efficiency loan from Oxfordshire County Council.
The county council has been running the interest free loan scheme since July 2023 to help maintained schools reduce their overall energy usage, which in turn could help cut operational costs.
The school applied to the council for just over £69,000, out of an £800,000 fund, to finance the installation of solar panels.
Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “We’ve already carried out 50 energy efficiency audits on our council maintained schools. The latest round of the loan scheme was launched last year, with Woodstock CE Primary School being the seventh to make use of the fund.
“I’m told that the solar panels at Woodstock CE Primary will save around 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. If each energy efficiency loan has a similar impact, we will be making a major contribution to clean energy in Oxfordshire.”
Anne Hipwell, Headteacher at Woodstock CE Primary School, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this loan, which will allow us to install solar panels and take a significant step towards making our school more sustainable.
“This investment will not only help reduce our environmental impact but also provide a fantastic opportunity to tie our efforts into the curriculum. By using the solar panels as a learning tool, our pupils will have the chance to explore renewable energy and sustainability in real-time, gaining valuable knowledge that will stay with them throughout their lives.
“At Woodstock CE Primary, we are committed to creating a brighter future, both for our children and the environment, and this solar panel project is an important part of that vision."
Other schools are applying for energy efficiency loans and details of their plans will be released in the coming months.
Action on Carbon and Energy in Schools (ACES), an energy efficiency support service, funded by Oxfordshire County Council and delivered by Oxford Brookes University and Low Carbon Hub, has been supporting schools with applying for the loan.
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