First Minister visits first Scottish school to achieve 11th Green Flag
16 May 2025
Scotland’s First Minister visited a school in Perth and Kinross to celebrate their 11th Eco-Schools Green Flag award, almost 26 years after their first.
John Swinney met with pupils and staff at the Royal School of Dunkeld to learn more about the school’s Eco-Committee and the journey to achieving their historic Green Flag.
The school achieved its first Green Flag on 15 June 1999, renewing every two years – showing its commitment, ambition and action, and demonstrating the value of Eco-Schools as a vehicle to embed learning for sustainability into the ethos and culture of a school and its wider community.
In 1997 The Royal School of Dunkeld became a member of Eco-Schools, the largest sustainable schools programme in the world – operated internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and delivered in Scotland by us.
As part of the latest application, the school campaigned to gas company SGN to make a financial contribution to tree planting after their pipe installation damaged trees, made their own wind turbines and hosted a One Planet Picnic which was attended by the local community.
The Eco-Committee also entered our Upstream Battle® art competition, creating a dolphin from soft drinks cans to reduce plastic pollution in the River Tay and from entering the sea.
First Minister John Swinney announced funding for Eco-Schools Scotland, ahead of his visit to the school. He said: “Children and young people have been leading the charge for urgent action to address climate change and nature loss. That is right, since they will be the ones who will face the greatest impacts of climate change over their lifetimes.
“However, the responsibility to become climate resilient and reduce emissions cannot just be up to the next generation. This Government has committed to Scotland reaching net-zero by 2045, and I am proud that we are embedding climate education across all settings by 2030.
“The Scottish Government has supported the Eco-Schools Scotland programme for over two decades, and pupils and teachers at the Royal School of Dunkeld have collectively achieved a remarkable feat.”
Barry Fisher, our Chief Executive, commented: “This year we celebrate 30 years of environmental education in schools through the international Eco-Schools programme.
"It’s fantastic to visit the Royal School of Dunkeld and recognise the fantastic longevity in this vital education programme – which empowers and inspires young people to take action to combat climate change, tackle litter and waste and restore nature.
“Achieving one Green Flag is a brilliant achievement, so to secure 11 deserves special recognition and I’m delighted that First Minister John Swinney was able to attend and celebrate with the Eco-Committee and wider school.”
“We are grateful to once again receive funding from the Scottish Government to support our Climate Action Schools Programme, ensuring that Eco-Schools can grow and develop further supporting children and young people.”
Nicola Williams, Headteacher of Royal School of Dunkeld, said: “Royal School of Dunkeld is very proud of its eco journey over the past 25 years. Our children love to learn about our environment and what they can do to look after it.
“We are lucky to be situated in a beautiful part of Highland Perthshire and we take our eco responsibility very seriously.
“The children had an amazing day, thank you to Keep Scotland Beautiful and the First Minister for making it such a special occasion.”
We have been celebrating the 30th anniversary of the international Eco-Schools and Young Reporters for the Environment programmes this year with a series of school visits, an online assembly, live lessons and celebration challenges.
