Primary school to spend £48k loan on environmentally friendly features

A primary school's classrooms are set to become brighter and more environmentally friendly after the school secured a loan of £48,000.

Nettlebed Community School has been awarded a schools energy efficiency loan by Oxfordshire County Council.

The council has been running the interest free loan scheme since July 2023 to help schools reduce their overall energy usage.

Nettlebed Community School applied for a share of the £800,000 fund to finance the installation of LED lighting and rooftop solar photovoltaic technology, which converts sunlight into electrical energy.

Headteacher Bethany Greenwood said: "We are delighted to be making such an impact on the school and the wider environment as part of our sustainability plan.

"The lighting upgrade will go a long way to reduce our carbon footprint. Our eco-council is delighted."

The school, which is one of 12 to have applied for energy efficiency loans, hopes to install LED lighting during the summer holidays ahead of the new term in September.

Lisa Lyons, Oxfordshire County Council’s director of children 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 earlier this year, with Nettlebed Community School being the first to make use of the fund.

"LED lighting makes classrooms brighter and more pleasant places to be for staff and students, so there will be practical as well as environmental benefits for pupils and teaching staff."