CERES School of Nature and Climate

You don’t need a big oval or dedicated garden beds to grow food at school. In Melbourne, a few containers, the right plants for our climate, and a simple routine can turn even the smallest space into a thriving learning environment.

Hit the link in bio to read our starter guide and discover five simple ways to start creating a garden space at your school.

The Victorian Container Deposit Scheme () is a great step towards reducing waste and a reminder to look a little closer at the containers in our homes and classrooms. 💚☺️

While not every item is eligible for a refund, many still have plenty of life left in them. With a bit of creativity, everyday containers can become useful tools for the garden, home or classroom.

Start by asking: what is this already good at? Waterproof, sturdy, clear, easy to hold? There may be more than one life left in it yet. Hit the link in our bio to read the article on upcycling and reusing these everyday items. ♻️

What do banana peels, dry leaves, eggshells and coffee grounds all have in common? They’re future soil. One for kids and adults alike – welcome to compost bingo!

Search, sort, and learn what belongs in the compost to begin understanding how nature recycles nutrients, reduces waste, and helps grow healthy food.

Ready to take composting to the next level? Our Towards Zero Waste Incursion invites students to explore where waste comes from, where it ends up and the impact it has on our environment — while discovering practical, creative solutions they can use at school, at home and in their community. Lin in bio to learn more.

A school camp experience just minutes from Melbourne CBD. At night, CERES feels like you’ve left the city behind. Under the gum trees and the stars, students explore, play and learn: cooking over a fire, searching for nocturnal animals, and discovering how every part of nature connects.

CERES Sustainability Sleepover is a hands-on, overnight school camp experience that sparks curiosity, care and connection to the natural world. Link in bio to learn more. 🌙

We loved having join us recently for the Indigenous Perspectives Excursion. This full day is an opportunity to understand, acknowledge and learn the ancient knowledge of Aboriginal cultures and beliefs. Your students will:

👉 Identify and connect with elements of Aboriginal cultures
👉 Understand that each Aboriginal person has connection and identifies with their culture in their own way and holds responsibility for caring for the land through totemic system
👉 Explore ways of keeping ancient knowledge and tradition alive through a selection of activities including Tiddalik Stories, Ochre painting, Ngarrga/Traditional Dance, Merri Merri Cultural Walk, and participating in Marngrook game
👉 Identify ways to embed the Aboriginal cultures at school

If this feels aligned for your classroom, we’d love to welcome you. Head to our link in bio to book your students in.

Last week .ps took part in our ‘Restoring Earth’s Ecosystems’ excursion.
Through hands-on exploration of land and water habitats at CERES, students discover what ecosystems need to be healthy. They will…

🌱 Understand the importance of biodiversity and how it creates healthy ecosystems and food chains
🌏 Identify actions we can take to assist with enriching our biodiversities and the health of our ecosystems
👣 Connect with Country through the skill of observation and take action to restore local ecosystems

Hit the link in our bio to sign your school up too!

From sports pitch to thriving wetland 🌿 St. Monica’s College in Epping – a school showing just how powerful student-led sustainability can be.

Their EnviroFriends team turned an unused sports pitch into a thriving wetland beside Darebin Creek, creating a living wildlife corridor with frog “saunas”, fish “hotels” and nest boxes that now support endangered Volcanic Plains Grasslands, frogs, fish and woodland birds.

Sustainability is woven right through the curriculum, too. STEM and IT students use drones and wildlife cameras to monitor biodiversity, with audits already showing a big lift in ecological health. Add strong partnerships with Whittlesea Council and the wider community, and you’ve got a campus buzzing with action, collaboration and momentum.

This is what’s possible when schools back their students and put sustainability at the heart of learning. Want to do the same at your school? Join the ResourceSmart Schools program with CERES and start creating change where you are. 💚 Link in bio.

At Kew High School in Melbourne’s inner east, a quiet waste revolution is underway. ♻️

Led by students and backed by staff, the Eco Crew turned empty drink containers into a school-wide system – and $700 raised through Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme.

Starting with cardboard boxes and DIY signs, they learned what works by doing: placing bins where students actually pass through, designing eye-catching signage, and having real conversations about contamination and care. Less litter, more ownership, and funds reinvested straight back into the school – seedlings, compost tumblers and tools to keep growing.

As student leader Jack puts it: “Is it waste or is it a resource? There’s no such thing as waste.”

Want your school to get involved? The Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme is a simple, student-led way to reduce waste, build skills and fund sustainability projects on campus. Hit the link in our bio to learn how your school can get involved.

Looking for practical ways to make your school more sustainable? 🌱

Sustainability can feel big and overwhelming, but the ResourceSmart Schools program breaks it down into manageable steps through five modules: Core, Biodiversity, Energy, Waste and Water.

ResourceSmart Schools is a free Victorian Government program that supports schools to embed sustainability across everyday learning and operations – from reducing waste and saving energy and water, to supporting biodiversity and taking action on climate change.
Find out how your school can get involved – link in bio 💚