Heyford Park School Students Explore Recycling and the Circular Economy with Industry Experts

Students from Heyford Park School learned about the importance of recycling and the circular economy with a competition and workshop delivered by industry partners, Fortis IBA and Viridor.

Held at the Ardley Energy Recovery Facility (ERF), the companies partnered to bring the circular economy to life through hands-on activities and real-world insights.

The students were treated to a fun and interactive day, learning how Oxfordshire’s non-recycled waste is transformed—travelling from homes to the ERF, where it is processed to not only generate electricity but also create a valuable construction aggregate known as Fortistone® IBA Aggregate.  This sustainable material serves as an alternative to importing primary resources into Oxfordshire. The children were tasked with a fun, interactive Lego road-building challenge designed to highlight the importance of adopting a circular economy mindset. Lego prizes were presented by Fortis IBA Chairman, Mark Oliver, to students who demonstrated the most innovative suggestions.

The school had taken part in a poster design competition and special guest, Councillor Judy Roberts, Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action at Oxfordshire County Council was invited to present the winning students with their prizes and certificates. Each winner received a goody bag and a £10 book token.

Councillor Judy Roberts said: “If we are to tackle the climate emergency, it is essential that the younger generation gets involved at an early age. So it was a privilege to see pupils learning about how the ‘circular economy’ can reduce the impact on the environment and challenge our current ‘take-make-dispose’ approach.

Their enthusiasm was a reminder about why our council places climate action at the heart of everything we do.”

Lisa Hudson, Teacher at Heyford Park School commented: “The visit to Ardley Energy Recovery Facility was a fantastic experience for the children. They thoroughly enjoyed exploring the centre and learning about recycling and sustainability in a real-world context. It was fascinating for them to see how waste is processed and transformed into energy and other useful materials. The interactive displays and informative presentations at the visitor centre really helped to bring these important environmental topics to life. Overall, it was a highly engaging and educational trip that reinforced our classroom learning in a memorable way.”

Pictured: Heyford Park, winners of the poster competition, with Jessica Baker-Pike (Viridor), Mark Oliver (Fortis IBA), and Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action.