Making sustainability a strategic priority

Mobilise your school or trust to embed environmental sustainability into its vision, strategy and practice, in line with the DfE's sustainability strategy. Find out how to get started and get your whole school or trust community involved.

Last reviewed on 19 January 2024
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Contents
  1. Why act on sustainability now?
  2. Find out how sustainable your current practice is and report back to the governors
  3. Collaborate with governors to put sustainability at the heart of your vision 
  4. Agree a strategy with your governors
  5. Set ambitious goals
  6. Break your goals down into operational plans
  7. Your governing board will monitor progress

Why act on sustainability now?

In April 2022, the DfE published its strategy to improve sustainability in schools, to improve sustainability and its response to climate change by 2030. This has been followed by a summary of progress so far (December 2023).

While it hasn't imposed any reporting requirements on schools yet, the strategy may ultimately have an impact on your curriculum, school premises, procurement processes and more.

Prepare for these changes by embedding sustainability across your school. With rising costs and budget constraints, reducing energy usage and other waste will also save you money.

Don't worry if you’re just getting started on this journey – below you'll find out how to take your first steps to embed sustainability across your school or trust.

It’s up to your board to make strategic decisions. As headteacher, you can raise the subject of climate change with governors or