Knaphill School has scooped a £750 prize in the Surrey-wide Rethink Waste competition — and now their eco plans are set to bloom.

The school topped the leaderboard with an impressive 352,730 points, securing first place in the waste-busting contest run by the Surrey Environment Partnership. The competition rewarded residents for reducing waste, with points earned through pledges, quizzes, and videos. Points could be donated to local schools, with the top two each month bagging cash for eco projects.

Knaphill students had voted to improve greenery inside classrooms and create more wildlife habitats. After local councillor Steve Greentree suggested entering the competition, the school dug deep and devised a four-week plan to rally community support — and the response was overwhelming.

Students promoted the campaign in classrooms, teachers watched videos during breaks, and the PTA spread the word through social media, WhatsApp groups, and local businesses. The hard work paid off when Knaphill topped the leaderboard on January 31, winning £750.

A special celebration assembly on March 21 saw Matthew Ball, Julie Botwood, and Ben Mole from Greenredeem, Paul Barnett from Rethink Waste, and Woking councillor Ellen Nicholson present the prize. The prize money will help Knaphill School plant the seeds for a greener future, with eco-friendly upgrades already taking root.

The Eco Council has already started planning phase one of the project, which includes plants for every classroom and office, bird feeders, outdoor plants, and watering equipment. A trip to Longacres Garden Centre — which has offered a discount to the school’s delight — is planned soon.

“This project was a huge community effort,” said a school spokesperson. “We reached far and wide to ask people to help us and wow, did they respond!”

Knaphill is proof that when a school sticks together, great things can grow!