Morning, Friday, 27th September 2024
Online
This conference focuses on key issues, progress and next steps for provision of climate change education in England, and for supporting schools in introducing sustainability education programmes in England’s schools.
Key stakeholders and policymakers will examine rollout of the DfE’s sustainability and climate change strategy, including its target for all education settings in England to have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place Climate Action Plans by 2025, which includes curricular and extra-curricular activity.
The conference will be an opportunity to discuss both current plans, and the future direction of policy in a new parliament.
Delegates will discuss the Department’s roadmap, timeframes and sustainability curriculum targets.
Sessions in the agenda will assess opportunities and challenges in implementing curriculum changes, alongside approaches to integration of climate change and sustainability education into curriculums across England’s schools. Delegates will assess progress so far in the expansion of the Climate Ambassadors Scheme and its aims going forward, as well as priorities for government, education providers and industry.
The conference will also be an opportunity to consider the new Natural History GCSE, due to be introduced by September 2025, looking at key issues for implementation and how the new qualification will enable learners to gain a deeper knowledge of the natural world and environmental issues.
There will be discussion on rollout of the Climate Action Planning Sector Engagement and Support Service (SESS), which aims to provide free cross-disciplinary climate and sustainability support to education settings as part of DfE’s wider National Climate Education Action Plan, and Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy.
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with:
- Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez, Lead, Climate Ambassador Scheme - on the rollout of the Scheme
- Mary Colwell, Conservationist, Author, and Director, Curlew Action - on ambitions for the new Natural History GCSE
- Lauren Hyams, Head of Learning and National Programmes, Natural History Museum - on increasing collaboration across educational settings and empowering pupils to take action on climate change
Areas for discussion in the agenda include:
- implementation: securing resources - widening access to climate change education, for both learners and teaching staff - addressing inequalities in pupils’ access and participation
- collaboration: frameworks for industry experts working with schools to both develop teacher training and help schools achieve their sustainability aims
- best practice: how peer-to-peer learning between schools, regional hubs, universities and industry experts will work in practice - approaches for increasing strategic and regional partnerships
- engagement: strategies for increasing pupil engagement and uptake in STEM and sustainability subjects
- progression: creating effective pathways into further study - improving education and careers guidance and equipping young people with sustainability skills that are in high demand
The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from DfE; Defra; DSIT; DESNZ; LocatED; NAO; Department for the Economy, NI; and Isle of Man Government.
The proceedings of the conference will be circulated more widely, to Parliamentarians, ministerial offices, and government and regulatory officials with an interest in the issues being discussed. All delegates will also receive a video recording of the conference.
