Did you know your school will need to have a Climate Action Plan and designated Sustainability Lead by December 2025?
The Devon Waste Education Team recently organised a teacher training day with talks and workshops from The Devon Wildlife Trust, Field Studies Council, Lets Go Zero, Resource Futures, Climate Ambassadors and the excellent example of Sherwell Valley Primary School in Torbay.
Twenty-five teachers from across Devon gathered at Killerton House, near Exeter on Wednesday 16th October and had a brilliant day learning from experts. This training will help schools write a climate action plan and reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Biodiversity workshops
Experts from the biodiversity sector shared ideas on how schools can make their grounds more fun and interesting for students. They explained that understanding why we reduce, reuse, and recycle makes these actions more meaningful. Activities like forest school and gardening help kids and adults learn about nature and why it’s important. In the picture, you can see people from The Devon Wildlife Trust, the Field Studies Council, and The National Trust talking about how to engage with nature.
Policy and planning workshops
There were also talks on policy and planning. The Department of Education (DfE) has said that all schools should have a climate action plan and a sustainability leader by December 2025. Climate Ambassadors and Let’s Go Zero explained how teachers and schools can achieve this. The main message was that small steps matter. It’s important not to get overwhelmed by big ideas like a climate action plan. Instead, focus on the sustainable actions schools already do and think about the next small steps they can take.
If you missed teacher training, fear not, there are plenty of resources on the Zone to aid with your school’s sustainability transitions: Teachers – Zone (recycledevon.org)
Oliver Prato