Creating Value In Schools
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While the DfE’s aim is for all schools to have a climate action plan in place by the end of 2025, the reality is that a lot of schools still don’t. If you haven't got started yet, do you know where to begin?
Read on for ideas!
The DfE wants all educational settings to have a climate action plan in place by the end of 2025. This is part of its sustainability strategy and efforts towards reaching net zero in the education sector, as well as preparing children and young people for challenges and opportunities they will face around climate change.
However, this year’s Greener Schools Index Report found just 24% of settings with an action plan in place. So there’s plenty to do! But with 65% of settings reporting insufficient time and/or people to dedicate to climate action, we need to try and make things straightforward – and show how sustainability goals link to other school priorities.
The DfE’s position is that there’s no one way to create your action plan. It needs to suit your school, trust or context. It needs to be practical and help you focus on goals, actions and outcomes. Not a document that creates extra work!
As you’ll see in the resources and examples further below, there are different ways of approaching it.
However, it’s a good idea to include the following.
A climate action plan should typically cover these four areas, to align with the DfE’s sustainability and climate change strategy:
It’s important that pupils, senior leaders and the estates team are all involved in creating the plan.
Use and adapt this basic spreadsheet as a template.
If you’re not sure what to include as your goals, start by taking the Greener Schools Index sustainability survey. It’s a free tool with a downloadable spreadsheet, covering 17 areas – so will give you plenty of ideas!
For more information about the Greener Schools Index, see How green is your school?
Sustainability Support for Education has links to several resources to support climate action planning, such as this presentation deck from Climate Ambassadors which gives guidance on creating your plan.
Check out their suggested resources for short-term plans and long-term plans.
It’s great to share a version of your plan on your setting’s website, so that families and stakeholders can see what you’re trying to achieve and get engaged.
For example, St Bart’s Multi-Academy Trust, which is featured in the Greener Schools Index Report, has a section on sustainability on their website. From there you can download their climate action plan.
Heart Academies, who also feature in the GSI Report, have a section on climate and sustainability on their website. Scroll down the page to download documents including their overarching climate action plan as well as a plan detailing actions and milestones.
Sustainability featured as a hot topic in our Unbound SBLs Review of the Year. Have a listen!
