October 2024
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This conference focused on key issues, progress and next steps for provision of climate change education in England, and for supporting the introduction of sustainability education programmes in England’s schools.
It was a timely opportunity for policymakers and stakeholders to discuss priorities for policy, following the launch of the new Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review, and latest thinking on the place of climate change within the reformed curriculum.
Delegates also examined rollout of the DfE’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, including its target for all educational 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.
Delegates assessed 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 was also 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 was 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 have been able to include keynote sessions with:
- Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez, Co-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, 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 included:
- 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
All delegates were able to contribute, alongside key policy officials, to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. Those that attended include officials from DfE; Defra; IfATE; OEP; Department for the Economy, NI; DESNZ; DSIT; Isle of Man Government; LocatED; NAO; Planning Inspectorate; RAF; and the Welsh Government.
