Sustainability and Climate Action
Decarbonisation - Climate adaptation and Resilience - Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure - Climate Education - Green Skills and Green Careers -
‘Sustainability is no longer about doing less harm. It’s about doing more good.’
-Jochen Zeitz
Vision Statement
The issue of sustainability and the consideration of the impact our current lifestyles have on the planet has never been more important than it is today! At Broadoak, we aim to encourage children to think carefully about our lifestyle choices by making pupils, parents, staff and stakeholders aware of some of the major issues and threats our planet faces, such as our collective carbon footprint as well as water, air and plastic pollution.
A sustainable future encompasses both environmental and social responsibility, aiming to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values to become responsible citizens and make positive contributions to the world. We will foster a culture of sustainability into our school community through our curriculum provision and by reducing the school's environmental impact and undertaking various initiatives to ‘do more good.’
Our vision is that our children leave Broadoak with the knowledge and understanding to live a more sustainable lifestyle and be pro-active in encouraging others to do this to preserve the beauty of our natural world for future generations.
At Broadoak Primary School, we have partnered with 'Let's Go Zero' which is a national campaign uniting teachers, pupils, parents and their schools to all work together to be zero carbon by 50% by 2030.
This is a huge challenge – but transforming our schools will help safeguard the planet for future generations. Let’s Go Zero brings together UK schools who want to be zero carbon, are reducing their own climate impact, and demanding greater UK government support to achieve this goal. The campaign will show national government that there is a substantial demand amongst teachers and pupils to become zero carbon, with the potential for schools to catalyse wider change in their communities.
A key initiative of DfE’s sustainability and climate change strategy for education is ‘sustainability leadership and climate action plans’. The DfE requires all education settings to have a nominated sustainability lead and put in place a climate action plan by 2025.
What is a Climate Action Plan?
In April 2022, the Department for Education released a sustainability and climate change strategy specifically for education. By 2025, all education settings are expected to appoint a sustainability lead and develop a climate action plan. This plan will guide schools in both implementing and educating about various sustainability initiatives.
How will we deliver this climate action plan and monitor progress?
Our climate action plan will focus on four key areas:
Decarbonisation - Calculating and taking actions to reduce carbon emissions and becoming more energy efficient.
Climate adaptation and Resilience - Taking actions to reduce the risk of flooding and overheating and to future-proof scarce resources for potential shortages.
Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure - Creating habitats and adopting practices that will enhance species diversity on the school grounds and beyond.
Climate Education, Green Skills and Green Careers - Ensuring the education we provide gives knowledge-rich and comprehensive teaching about climate change.
Each of these areas will have clear objectives, with specific actions outlined.
Our aim is that our entire school community – students, staff, parents, and the wider local community – will work collaboratively to bring this plan to life. Engaging with everyone, listening to their ideas, and involving them in our green initiatives is crucial. We will continue to build on existing relationships and forge new partnerships, using shared resources and support to help meet our sustainability goals.
Climate Action Plan
Sustainability and Climate Action Policy
Key Principles
Environmental Responsibility:
We aim to reduce the school’s environmental footprint, including energy consumption, water usage, waste generation and transportation.
Education and Awareness:
We will educate pupils about climate change, it’s causes and its impacts, as well as promoting sustainable lifestyles.
Community Involvement:
We will encourage the participation of parents and staff and the wider community in our sustainability efforts and initiatives.
Inclusivity and Equity
All sustainability initiatives are accessible to all members of the school community.
Specific Actions and Initiatives
These are outlined within the school’s 3 year Climate Action Plan.
Useful Websites:
Below are some useful links that you might want to share with your children at home to help them understand climate change.
BBC Bitesize - Climate Anxiety
BBC Bitesize - How can we live more sustainably?
The Woodland Trust - Facts and Actions for Children
NASA - Children's guide to Climate Change
Books to help children explore sustainability and climate action