Moor Allerton Hall Primary School students go on strike to protest about climate change as world leaders debate at COP26 summit

Usual Friday proceedings were halted at Moor Allerton Hall Primary School at the request of the headteacher so the school could make children and their families aware of the issues of climate change because they fear that it will be the Moor Allerton pupils who will inherit the consequences and effects of it in years to come.

The school's one day strike comes as the COP26 summit with world leaders takes place in Glasgow.

However, Moor Allerton Hall started its own climate change studies more than three years ago having gone on strike in 2019, 2020 and again on Friday.

Friday's school day started with a special assembly led by the school headteacher, Lesley McKay, and following that classes looked at different environmental topics.

Years 1 and 2 studied animals, what is deforestation and the effects on species, such as orangutans; years 3 and 4 looked at flooding and local incidents of it while, years 5 and 6 examined the political influences that can be made on addressing climate change, such as the COP26 event.

They also made leaves and wrote on one side what they could do to help climate change and, on the other, what they request world leaders do to address it.

Ms Mckay said: "We like our children to be aware of what is happening in the world. The climate is the biggest issue which will affect them in the future. Children need to be aware of the issues and crucially what they can do to help make a difference.

"Our year 6 pupils are very knowledgeable because we have, over a number of years, built up these lessons. It has raised their interest and so they are noticing things on the news themselves.

"We suspended the national curriculum because currently there is nothing in the national curriculum for them about climate change at the moment. This is our third year, we have over a number of years since 2019, built up knowledge to show how important this is in terms of the future and that they know about it."

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