Climate Action – Details of the Department for Education’s sustainability leadership and climate action plans initiative have been published on line. The DfE strategy states: “By 2025, all education settings will have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place a climate action plan”. This includes early years settings, schools, multi-academy trusts, colleges, and universities. Sustainability leadership could be a group of people or an individual responsible for the development and implementation of a climate action plan.
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The Missing £85m – The National Audit Office – NAO – has criticised the Department for Education’s climate plans after it slashed a climate change programme’s budget by more than £85 million. The NAO has warned the DfE that its sustainability goals are at “risk of being deprioritised or traded-off when making decisions” in a report published last week. It found the department “does not know what contribution” its climate change schemes will have – even though education settings produce 37% of public sector emissions. It also said that also said tjhat schools are being allowed to use energy efficiency scheme finance on alternative projects. Schools Week has more detail, and the NAO report is here.
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Declining School Buildings – The NAO also published a report on the state of school buildings last week. It concludes that “there is a significant gap between the funding available and that which DfE assesses it needs to achieve its aim for school buildings to be safe and in a good condition for those who learn and work there. Funding is also often used for urgent repairs rather than planned maintenance which, as DfE itself acknowledges, risks not offering good long-term value for money”.
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Climate Literacy – Metlink is the Royal Meteorological Society’s education programme which produces resources and reports. The Society believes that every student should leave school with the basic climate literacy that would enable them to engage with the messages put forward by the media or politicians or to make informed decisions about their own opportunities and responsibilities when it comes to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and also to equip them with the knowledge and skills required for the green jobs of the future.
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EE in Focus – The latest newsletter from the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is available here.
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Quality ESD – On Thurs July 6th from 1000 to 1100, there’s an end-of project webinar to mark the conclusion of the ‘ESD and Academic Quality’ QAA Collaborative Enhancement project. The project involved 11 universities working with SOS-UK. It explored the “details of how to address ESD in academic quality and student voice processes in a range of contexts, sharing many specific examples of practice”. Webinar registration details here.
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Learning from 30 Years Experience – The EU has adopted a recommendation on: Teacher education for the green transition and sustainable development: a pan-European priority. This formally calls for learning for sustainability (LfS) to become a key priority area in education policies and programmes, and for support to be given to educators through training and professional development in this area. This report contains 9 case studies.
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Nature Park Webinar – London’s Natural History Museum is hosting a webinar introducing the DfE’s National Education Nature Park on Wednesday 12 July, 1615 to 1645. In this you will have the opportunity to hear what the National Education Nature Park and Climate Action Awards are all about and find out how to plan to get your school, nursery or college involved in the Autumn term. You will need to ask the NHM to register for the event.
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The Future of Scottish Education – All learners in Scotland matter: Our National Discussion on Education. This report, produced by Professors Carol Campbell and Alma Harris, sets out a vision, values, and a Call to Action for the future of Scottish education. Click here to read more about the response to this consultation from Learning for Sustainability Scotland.
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Volunteer Tutor Opportunities – The Access Project supports young people from under-represented groups to beat the odds, by helping them boost their grades and gain access to great universities. It has volunteer tutor opportunities to support young people’s education and learning in the STEM subjects, and help inspire the next generation. The role only asks for one hour a week of a volunteer’s time and it is the volunteers choice which subject they tutor in. Details on the website here.
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Beacon of the Year – Professor Justin Dillon, NAEE’s President, has been awarded the 2023 Mariano Gago Ecsite’s Beacon of the Year award in recognition of his work to inspire and motivate practitioners and researchers in science engagement. The award recognises science engagement professionals in Europe and goes to inspirational individuals who have spent a career making a difference in science engagement. Announcing the award, Chair of the awarding jury, Maya Halevy, said:
“Your work had a significant impact on the Ecsite community, strengthening the work of museum practitioners and inspiring the research community. You champion the role of science engagement in addressing wicked problems, promoting constructive dialogue in an increasingly post-factual, science-sceptical world. Your participation in the debate counteracts polarisation and encourages constructive dialogue.” Congratulations!
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Hedging – The hedgerow survey season is here, and the charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is looking for volunteers in all corners of the UK to take part in its Great British Hedgerow Survey. Between now until October volunteers are encouraged to health-check their local hedgerows by filling in PTES’ simple survey form. Key features of their chosen hedge are recorded, such as the height, width, structure and what tree species are present. Such a good Summer school task.
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Streptopelia turtur – The RSPB reports that the EU has imposed another temporary moratorium on shooting Turtle Doves along their migration route across Spain, France and Portugal during 2023, as recommended by the European Commission. It’s reckoned that this will ‘save’ nearly a million Turtle Doves. Dr Guy Anderson, Migrants Recovery Programme Manager for the RSPB said: “By introducing this hunting moratorium for the third year running in south–west Europe, Turtle Doves that migrate across this region and breed the whole way across western Europe – including the UK – have been thrown a vital lifeline at a time where their declines are a real cause for concern for conservation organisations across the continent”. Meanwhile, agricultural changes here at home have caused a loss of suitable habitat for the birds that make it to the UK to raise the next generation, leaving just 2,100 breeding territories remaining in the UK according to a 2021 study.