The SchooliP sustainability audit builds on NGA's (National Governance Association) guidance for governing boards and the NAEE (National Association of Environmental Education's) six Cs of Culture, Curriculum, Campus, Community, Careers and CPD. This will help schools and trusts develop a truly whole organisation approach. It is great to be working with so many people and organisations supporting schools to do the very best they can to achieve Net Zero and help protect the planet.
NGA, NAEE and Derventio Education have come together to provide schools and trusts with a free online tool distributed within SchooliP to help governing boards adopt and develop environmental sustainability as a strategic priority.
SchooliP contains many features for schools such as:
The way things are done at all levels of a school/trust is reflective of your vision and values. If environmental sustainability sits within this, your everyday practices and larger decisions will demonstrate care and respect for the environment.
Treating environmental sustainability as a core value should lead to governing boards taking a keen interest in how this is covered in the curriculum. As climate change affects many aspects of daily life, climate education should extend beyond science and geography.
This encompasses all aspects of school buildings and grounds. Energy usage will likely already have been considered, but there are other aspects which can positively benefit your school/trust.
Community refers to how the school fosters a united approach to environmental sustainability, both within the local community and the school community itself.
Supporting young people to make informed choices about their future is an important responsibility for schools and their governing boards. With future green careers on the horizon, this is an area both primary and secondary schools should prioritise.
Governing boards, senior leaders and teachers need to be equipped with the skills to deliver on improving environmental sustainability. This includes providing the capacity and budget to do so.