What we do / Support for schools
Support for schools
Signposting schools to the right support for climate education and action plans.
As of December 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) requires all schools to have a sustainability lead and implement their own climate action plans, aiming to make education organisations more sustainable and help children develop skills relevant for the future.
Education settings already have a big remit; however this work is also greatly needed and there are big opportunities that come with it like improving people’s quality of life, improving the school environment, engaging staff and families, increasing resilience and adapting to climate change, reducing climate anxiety in young people, and saving money.
We’re helping schools navigate to the right support to take action.
Climate action plans
There are four areas that schools need to cover in their climate action plans:
- Decarbonisation. Taking steps to reduce carbon emissions. Involving students on this journey will enable them to feel part of the solution, reduce climate anxiety, and help them develop green skills.
- Adaptation and resilience. Adapting buildings and organisational practices to be more resilient to heatwaves and flooding.
- Improving biodiversity. Nature connection is a great way into the climate conversation for students. Most schools also have some land that could be given over to improving biodiversity.
- Climate education and green careers. Teachers need to be supported to educate children and young people about climate change and sustainability both in and out of the science classroom.
Image © Jessica Reeder
Find support for…
Schools to take action
- Climate Ambassadors – linking schools with climate experts
- Let’s Go Zero – supporting schools, colleges and nurseries to develop a climate action plan and access funding for green projects
- Sustainability support for education – recommended actions and resources to help schools put climate plans into action
- Bristol schools energy efficiency scheme – energy audit and energy efficiency measures paid for with a 0% loan
- Arup – a compendium of climate change adaptation and resilience measures
Students to take action
- Green Schools Project – enabling children and young people to take action on climate change by designing and leading projects to reduce their schools’ carbon footprint, as well as Teacher training
- Global Action Plan Education – a community of educators empowering students to take climate action with events, resources, Teacher CPD sessions plus a free Schools Climate Action Planner toidentify actions
- National Education Nature Park – a programme aiming to embed nature-based learning in the curriculum, and encourage children and young people to take action to improve their school site for people and wildlife
- Avon Wildlife Trust – offering opportunities and resources for students to learn about nature including how to set up a nature club and workshops in school or at one of their sites both for students and educators
Teachers to educate on sustainability
- Ministry of Eco Education – a collaboration of teachers focussing on bringing learning about the environment into classrooms
- Global Goals Centre resource hub – a database of information, activities, and educational resources to help teach children about climate change through the Sustainable Development Goals
- Sustainable Hive resources – a library of curriculum relevant resources for each key stage
- UWE Bristol Curiosity Connections – a network for STEM education in primary schools
- CSE – climate change and energy resources and workshops for primary schools
How to support schools
Individuals and organisations with climate expertise can support schools with this work by joining the Climate Ambassador scheme. UWE Bristol is the South West Regional Hub for the scheme which links nurseries, schools and colleges with free access to local experts to support their climate action.
They welcome volunteers with skills and knowledge in project management, communications, and technical sustainability, to help education settings develop and deliver meaningful climate action plans.
Image © ShamPhat Photography
Connecting and collaborating
Schools, like community organisations, are well connected and can play a vital trusted role in engaging people in climate and nature action. In your area and wider school community there will be many local groups, community organisations and businesses you could collaborate with. This includes the groups who’ve developed their own community climate and nature action plans through our Community Climate & Nature Action Project.
Our Climate Action Programme also offers the opportunity to be part of a community of organisations committed to positive change with free events and resources to help learn about best practice and identify solutions to challenges.
Image © Evoke Pictures