Fairtrade in Schools

We are helping schools in Southwark develop their curriculum to incorporate work on Fairtrade, which encourages students to take action in supporting the Fairtrade campaign. The Fairtrade schools project has produced a free handbook that helps schools learn about and support Fairtrade.

How to be a Fairtrade school

To be awarded Fairtrade school status, schools must embed Fairtrade into their curriculum. They also need to pass a Fairtrade policy and involve the students in taking actions to promote Fairtrade to the school and wider community.

The Fairtrade steering group is currently working with Harris Girls Academy on a pilot project, which we are intending to roll out to other interested schools in the future. The schools receive Fairtrade teaching resources and training as well as input into school council meetings, workshops and assemblies. They also receive details of suppliers of Fairtrade products in the borough.

Get involved in Fairtrade activities

The sorts of activities that schools can get involved with include

• Assemblies on Fairtrade
• Selling fresh Fairtrade coffee to staff
• Producing a Fairtrade tuck shop selling cookies, Geo Bars and chocolate wafer biscuits to pupils as well as including Fairtrade bananas and flapjacks on school dinner menus
• Organising Fairtrade coffee mornings
• Creating Fairtrade displays across the school, including displaying posters in classrooms, staff rooms, dining rooms and staff work rooms
• Ordering resources from the Fairtrade Foundation such as videos and leaflets, and utilising them at school and with the students
• Creating a Fairtrade area on the school’s website
• Organising visits from Fairtrade organisations such as the Day Chocolate Company, who produce Divine and Dubble bars

School resources

General

• Fairtrade Schools handbook (1.58 mb)
• Case studies and further information (940 kb)
• Tower Hamlets grid for learning (external website)

To view the documents you need Adobe Reader.

• Fairtrade Foundation - education packs for schools
• Christian Aid's learn zone
• Oxfam's cool planet for teachers

Secondary schools

• Traidcraft - young co-operatives helps secondary school students and other young people to establish and run their own co-operative businesses selling fairly traded products
• People and Planet Sixth Form Network
• Oxfam GB student's guide to Fairtrade
• Just1World looks at issues behind a sustainable reduction in poverty
• IFAT for advice to students
• Fairtrade Foundation gives locations of Fairtrade towns and cities, including a map of UK
• Co-op making your town a Fairtrade town - a guide for co-operators

Contact us

For more information about Fairtrade in schools, please contact us at

Southwark Council
Fairtrade project
Tel: 020 7525 7042
fairtrade@southwark.gov.uk
Town Hall
Peckham Road
London
SE5 8UB
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm