Basingstoke Copper Beeches Day Nursery Celebrates Another Eco-Schools Green Flag Award

This year, the children and colleagues at Bright Horizons Basingstoke Copper Beeches Day Nursery and Preschool have demonstrated outstanding leadership in championing sustainability and environmental awareness. Their passion, creativity, and commitment to making a positive difference have been recognised with Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation, celebrating excellence in environmental education and action. 

Established in 1994, the Eco-Schools programme has spent more than 30 years inspiring and empowering young people to become environmental leaders. Today, Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation is awarded in more than 100 countries, reflecting the programme's global impact. In England alone, it reaches over one million young people each year, supporting them to take meaningful action and drive positive change for our planet. 

Bright Horizons Basingstoke Copper Beeches Day Nursery and Preschool first achieved Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation in 2024. Building on this success, the nursery went on to achieve Green Flag with Distinction in both 2025 and 2026, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to embedding sustainability into everyday practice and creating meaningful environmental learning opportunities for children. 

The nursery’s commitment to sustainability has also been recognised in this year’s Eco-Schools Impact Report, which highlights the positive environmental work taking place across Bright Horizons settings.  

This year, colleagues built on these strong foundations by expanding biodiversity areas throughout the nursery, planting pollinator-friendly flowers, introducing further opportunities for sustainable gardening, increasing children's involvement in recycling and composting, and promoting environmental responsibility through daily routines and meaningful learning experiences. 

Children played an active role throughout the year, caring for plants, exploring life cycles, taking part in litter-picking activities, learning about recycling, helping to conserve water, observing wildlife, and sharing their ideas about how they can look after the world around them. Through these hands-on experiences, children developed a deeper understanding of sustainability while building confidence, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility for their environment. 

Speaking about their achievements, Charlotte, Nursery Manager, said: 

"We are incredibly proud of our children and colleagues for achieving Green Flag accreditation once again. Sustainability is woven throughout our curriculum, and it's wonderful to see even our youngest children developing a genuine appreciation for nature and understanding that their actions can make a difference. Their enthusiasm, ideas, and commitment have been truly inspiring." 

Eco-Schools England Manager, Adam Flint, said: 

"Young children care deeply about their local communities and our planet. They show a natural curiosity about animals, are fascinated by plant life, and naturally want to take action that makes things better. When nurseries engage with the Eco-Schools programme, they not only make an immediate difference; they also nurture this early interest in the environment, laying strong foundations for a sustainability journey that can last a lifetime." 

The nursery’s work forms part of Bright Horizons’ wider Future Earth programme, which supports its commitment to creating a more sustainable future. Through initiatives such as these, Bright Horizons aims to give children the knowledge, confidence and opportunities to make a positive difference to the world around them. Find out more about the difference Bright Horizons is making by reading the Bright Horizons Impact Report 2026. 

Families interested in discovering more about Bright Horizons Basingstoke Copper Beeches Day Nursery & Preschool are invited to attend the nursery's upcoming Open Day. To book a visit and explore the setting, visit: Basingstoke Copper Beeches Day Nursery & Preschool | Bright Horizons