Sustainability
Reason for sustainability
In 2022, The Department for Education (DfE) published the Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy for the education and children’s services systems a policy for sustainability and climate change.
The report states "The challenge of climate change is formidable. For children and young people to meet it with determination, and not with despair, we must offer them not just truth, but also hope. Learners need to know the truth about climate change – through knowledge-rich education. They must also be given the hope that they can be agents of change, through hands-on activity and, as they progress, through guidance and programmes allowing them to pursue a green career pathway in their chosen field."
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time which impacts all living things. Due to inequalities, global health issues, more frequent and intense natural disasters, natural resource depletion, and increase in global temperatures and sea levels rising, we are now at a pivotal point. The survival of many living things and biological support systems of the planet are at risk. We have to act now.
As our vision states, we aim to 'teach our pupils to love, learn and live as global citizens in an ever-changing world'. We have a responsibility to educate children about the world, its challenges and guide them towards sustainable approaches so they can have a positive impact on the world.
SDG action
We are committed to working together to educate our pupils about the importance of achieving the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). We will do this through our curriculum which will deliver and drive key messages about each of our key chosen areas.
We know the importance of supporting pupils to understand the need to ensure:
- That everyone’s human rights should be protected and respected
- That they look at things in different ways and find solutions when faced with a challenge
- They know to learn from the past in order to protect our planet now and in the future
- They know that greater change can happen when we work together
- They promote the careful use of global resources to heal and protect our planet
- They know more, remember more and do more for the benefit of humanity and the planet
We aim to support the United Nations 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development which is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. We will act in collaboration and partnership to take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we embark on this collective pledge,we are determined to promote and support sustainability through long and short-term goals.
Working towards net zero
One of the main strategic aims of the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy was for education establishments to be carbon net zero by 2030, with government legislation to meet net zero by 2050.
We are working toward a goal to be 50% net zero by 2030 and fully net zero by 2050, by taking positive action to reduce energy consumption and implementing efficiencies to protect our world.
Learn more about net zero and what we are doing to work toward our goal of net zero: