Our annual Haberdashers’ Monmouth School Year 7 Geography competition saw pupils investigating the topic of climate change, particularly relevant due to the recent COP28 Climate Change talks in Dubai.

Scientists estimate that since the Industrial Revolution, human activity has caused the Earth to warm by approximately 1°C. While that might not sound like much, it means big things for people and wildlife around the globe. Unfortunately, rising temperatures don’t just mean that we will get more sunny days!

The changing climate will make our weather more extreme and unpredictable, this could mean more storms and floods, or heatwaves and wildfires. We are also concerned about rising sea levels due to our warming seas and oceans, and melting ice sheets and glaciers.

Year 7 were asked to consider possible solutions – from local to global. Small changes in our homes can make a huge difference, for example, switching to energy-saving light bulbs, walking instead of driving, recycling and reducing food waste.

Our competition entrants could write a short report or poem, design a poster or comic strip, or make a model or cake. They were encouraged to research online and within our school Library to find information, facts and images, and make their work colourful and eye catching.

Mr N Meek, Head of Geography, said “We had 11 excellent entries and as usual the standard was very high – a range of posters, facts sheets, cartoons, cakes were popular this year. Thank you to all pupils who entered.”

First place
Maya D – Climate change poster.

Second place
Emily ES – ‘Impacts and Solutions’ cake.

Third place
Elizabeth M – Climate change cartoon.

With special thanks to:
Caoimhe R & Sophie R – ‘Polluted world’ cake.
Amelia L and Millie R – ‘Hot world’ cake.
Belle H and Eloise BH – ‘Climate change – two worlds’ cake.
Maisie W – Climate control poem.
Maddie P – Climate change fact sheet.
Poppy U – Climate change poster.
Sonali D – Climate change poem.
Niamh O – ‘Climate change’ cake.