Is the UK’s sustainability strategy for education on track?
Last December, the UK government’s Department for Education published the first annual update of its ambitious Sustainability and Climate Change (S&CC) Strategy. Ocki’s Jack Morgan assesses progress so far and whether the strategy is on track to achieve its aim of making the UK education sector a world leader in sustainability and climate change by 2030.
The UK government’s sustainability and climate change strategy for education and children’s services, published in April 2022, sets out a vision of how the education system could both provide young people with the knowledge and skills to meet the sustainability needs of employers in the future, and transform its estate to deliver climate, biodiversity and other sustainability goals, including social and economic aspects.
The S&CC Strategy outlines four strategic aims for England, including:
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excellence in education and skills for a changing world to prepare young people for a world impacted by climate change through learning and practical experience;
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net zero to reduce direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from education and care buildings, to drive innovation to meet legislative targets and provide opportunities for young people to engage practically in the transition to net zero;
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resilience to climate change to adapt education and care buildings and systems to prepare for the effects of climate change; and
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a better environment for future generations to enhance biodiversity, improve air quality and increase access to, and connection with, nature in and around education and care settings.
To work towards these aims, the strategy outlines short, medium, and longer-term policies and initiatives to be implemented in five action areas: climate education; education estates; international; green skills and economy; and operations and supply chain.
Examples of key initiatives include:
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a nominated sustainability lead (or group of leads) and a detailed climate action plan to deliver sustainability initiatives will be in place at each education setting by 2025;
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a Climate Action Award scheme aiming to provide a structured route to celebrate and recognise education providers, children and young people for developing their connection with nature and contributing to a sustainable future for all;
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a National Education Nature Park scheme to engage and connect young people with the nature;
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a new natural history General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSEs are the qualifications obtained by school-leavers in the UK). The natural history GCSE aims to give young people the opportunity to engage with and develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the natural world; and
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a T-Level in Agriculture, Land management and Production (T-Levels are two-year qualifications for 16-19 year olds designed in collaboration with employers).
A full list of S&CC activities is here, with Ocki’s analysis of progress to date.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We have made significant progress on our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy and remain committed to creating a sustainable future through education."
Delivered in 2022 and 2023
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the Nature Park programme was launched in autumn 2023 and continues to expand and evolve. The scheme provides opportunities for young people to take part in community science, and in biodiversity monitoring and data analysis – learning important skills for the future. This is done through free resources, support and guidance which is available on the Nature Park website. More resources, training and support will come online as the programme develops over the next academic year and beyond. The government has also announced £15 million of capital funding to support settings and young people that need the most help in accessing nature;
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in 2022 an occupational standard was introduced for all new further education teachers to integrate sustainability into their lessons;
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guidance on how sustainability should be considered as part of capital funding projects was published in March 2023, as part of DfE’s guidance, Further Education Capital Transformation Fund Allocation Spend. The Office for Students’ publication Capital funding for financial years 2022-23 to 2024-25 also includes assurance that providers are, and will be, assessed in terms of how they consider environmental sustainability in their bids; and
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the construction of DfE’s first net zero school, Treetops in Grays, Essex, opened in August 2022 as part of the net zero carbon pathfinder scheme.
Progress on upcoming targets
The DfE has been working closely with exam boards and subject experts to develop the draft subject content for the Natural History GCSE, and exam board specifications will be available in 2025.
DfE says later this year it will begin to roll out support for education settings to help them get nominated sustainability leads and Climate Action Plans in place by 2025.
Work in progress
Several actions detailed in the strategy were omitted from the update, but DfE has confirmed to Ocki that:
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the Climate Action Award (which was called the Climate Leaders Award in the strategy, with a targeted launch of Autumn 2022) remains part of the strategy and more information will follow as part of a phased rollout of activities;
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the annual climate literacy survey for school leavers went ahead in 2023. The responses are currently being reviewed and the DfE will provide an update in due course;
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regarding a pilot for a food curriculum and a whole-school approach to food, as well as training for school governors, that was supposed to be rolled out in 2023, there is pilot work underway with the UK’s Food Standards Agency and £200,000 is being invested in a pilot governor training scheme. Schools are also being encouraged to develop and publish a school food policy on their websites, setting out their whole school approach to food. Government funding has been allocated to the Oak National Academy to create high quality food and nutrition lesson content for teachers to develop the food curriculum; and
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more information is expected too about plans for a number of universities to support the launch of the National Education Nature Park. The aim is to have universities act as champions of nature and biodiversity for local education settings and wider communities, as well as provide opportunities to share expertise and support other education settings to develop and deliver a better environment for future generations. The National Education Nature Park website highlights collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University through a partnership with Natural History Museum as part of the ongoing development of the scheme, and collaboration with the University of Reading to develop the climate ambassador programme as part of the Climate Action Plans.
Sustainability education around the worldThe UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) oversees an Education for Sustainable Development programme which aims to help deliver the personal and societal transformation that is needed to address the multitude of sustainability challenges currently faced. The programme provides and shares knowledge, policy guidance and technical support for countries and implements projects on the ground. It also shares current practices. So far nearly 140 countries have reported their activities at national level. Examples of countries leading this improvement in climate change education include:
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Evaluation framework
Since the December update, the DfE has also published an evaluation framework for the S&CC, which aims to ensure that activities are proportionate, comprehensive, and consistent. The Department said that the framework will allow it to use the best evidence to underpin its decision-making.
Partnerships
The DfE has developed formal and informal partnerships to help deliver its strategy. For example, since the original strategy was released, it has moved from working groups to an ongoing feedback and challenge mechanism through a User Group and Youth Focal Points. It is particularly pleased with the latter, stating that the partnership demonstrates how young people and government can work together in a genuine and meaningful way.
The Youth Focal Points are a partnership with Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS-UK), a student-led education charity. Two Youth Focal Points for Sustainability and Climate Change, aged 18-25, are working to advise, evaluate, and champion the overall strategy.
Stakeholder views
While the December update shows progress in many areas of the strategy, stakeholders have a number of concerns.
Some are worried that schools have insufficient funding to properly implement policies outlined in the strategy, especially to meet the ambition to introduce a nominated sustainability lead and put together a Climate Action Plan in each educational setting.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary at the school leaders’ union (NAHT), said: “The strategy has resulted in some positive initiatives that schools and their pupils can engage with. However, it is vital that the government’s wider climate and sustainability strategy is underpinned by sufficient resources to support the staff who are leading this work in schools, and help ensure the proposals are properly implemented.
“Alongside this, schools must be given the financial flexibility to make green choices and develop ambitious plans that allow the education estate to move towards becoming carbon neutral,” he said.
SOS-UK has stated that since its launch, the strategy has made progress in key areas. But through the work of the Youth Focal Points for Sustainability and Climate Change, the group added: ”Consistently [we] find that young people don’t understand what the strategy is and the impact it is designed to have. And while we are working to make the strategy more accessible, it is crucial that further work is done to ensure young people are equipped with the information they need to understand what the Department is trying to achieve. Young people often feel disheartened by a lack of sustainability and climate action from the government, and so ensuring recognition of this work can also help empower young people to take further action outside of their educational settings.”
The DfE told Ocki that it will listen to stakeholder views, but at present it does not plan to make additional funding available to incentivise teachers to do the additional work that would be required if they stepped up to a sustainability lead role. It does point to other resources that have been developed to support schools’ sustainability leads and climate actions . The DfE will also monitor the impact of the support available.
Meanwhile, Nehaal Bajwa, vice president, liberation and equality at the National Union of Students UK, said: “We are pleased that the Department of Education recognises the positive impact it can have in tackling climate change. It is worth appreciating that the DfE has recognised the central role apprenticeships play in a just transition; they provide accessible retraining for those in the gas, oil and arms industries, as well as those who are interested in entering a green job. However, current investment in apprenticeships is insufficient. “
Ocki asked the Labour party if it would continue with the S&CC strategy if it comes to power in the general election which is due to take place later this year, but it failed to respond by press time.
Still a lot to do
In the December progress update, Baroness Barran, Minister for the School System and Student Finance, said: “There is of course still a lot to do. We are in the initial phase of an 8-year strategy and I look forward to seeing how work develops. I am particularly excited for 2024, as the National Education Nature Park reaches and inspires more young people and as we begin supporting settings to put in place, or further develop, holistic plans for action on emissions and climate risk evidence.”
Further reading
DfE’s S&CC Strategy published in April 2022
DfE’s S&CC December 2023 update
National Education Nature Park programme
DfE’s Further Education Capital Transformation Fund Allocation Spend guidance
DfE S&CC evaluation framework
DfE S&CC User Group
Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS-UK)
Unesco Education for Sustainable Development webpage
Unesco list of country activities
DfE’s COP28 Event:
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