Heritage School Flags Reach Bird Island with the British Antarctic Survey

Year 7 and Year 8 pupils from Heritage recently took part in the UK Polar Network’s Antarctic Flag competition for 2025. Among the many creative designs submitted, those by Jess (Year 7) and George (Year 8) were selected to travel to Antarctica, and those flags have now reached Bird Island Research Station with Emma Edwards, Station Leader for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Ms Edwards kindly transported the Heritage flags to the station and sent back photographs showing them among Gentoo penguins and a sheathbill, as well as another taken with LaRoche Peak in the background. These photographs give the pupils a special connection to one of the most remote and scientifically important places on Earth. We warmly congratulate both winners and all entrants for their imagination and creativity.

Bird Island—situated off the north-west tip of South Georgia at a latitude of about 54 degrees south—is one of the world’s most remarkable wildlife sites. It is home to vast populations of penguins, fur seals, albatrosses, petrels, and prions, and the BAS station there plays a vital role in long-term ecological research. The island’s rat-free status allows burrowing bird species to flourish, and staff follow strict biosecurity measures to protect this fragile ecosystem. Life on station demands teamwork, shared responsibilities, and resilience in all conditions.

This project has given Heritage pupils a rare opportunity not only to display their creativity but also to participate in a global scientific and educational partnership linking classrooms with the polar regions.

To learn more about Bird Island and the work of the British Antarctic Survey, visit:

https://www.bas.ac.uk/polar-operations/sites-and-facilities/facility/bird-island/