Sustainability in schools
Ofsted has surveyed a random sample of 26 primary schools and 15 secondary schools to determine the quality of provision of education for sustainable development in schools. And a new report, Schools and sustainability: A climate for change? assesses the progress schools are making towards meeting the expectations identified in the sustainable schools framework. It also considers issues which may prevent some schools from becoming sustainable.
Sustainability is a hot topic these days. But what does it mean for schools? The Government would like every school to be a sustainable school. In practice this means integrating high standards of achievement and behaviour with the goals of healthy living, environmental awareness, community involvement and citizenship - many of the aspirations set out in Every Child Matters (2005).
The report shows that, as yet, most schools remain unaware of the need to promote sustainable development, or of linked initiatives that together realise the concept of a sustainable school. More broadly, the promotion of education for sustainable development through National Curriculum subjects remains inconsistent and uncoordinated.
A minority of schools, which are actively promoting sustainability, show what can be done, including the impact on the school and the benefits for pupils, who see the relevance of education for sustainable development for their futures. Primary schools came out well and were considered more effective than secondary schools in using their grounds to support sustainability. However, inspectors saw very good examples in secondary schools which used work in art, design and technology to enhance the environment.
Sustainable Schools Logo (Department for Children Schools and Families)
Key findings showed that across the board there was little emphasis on sustainable development and limited awareness of national and local government policies in this area. Often sustainable development was considered peripheral and confined to extra-curricular activities. These findings and other conclusions illustrate very clearly the need for a fresh approach to implementing sustainable development within the education system and the report lists many recommendations for achieving this. Giving higher priority to sustainable schools, ensuring the curriculum reflects the importance of learning about sustainability, and stressing that education for sustainable development should be part of a broad and balanced curriculum, are all recommendations endorsed by the report.
The importance of education for sustainable development can’t be over-emphasised. We all know about the changing global climate and its impact on world economies and people’s lives. We see the issues being debated every day in newspapers, television and the media.
The education for sustainable development element of the National Curriculum in England enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to participate in decisions about the way we do things individually and collectively, both locally and globally, that will improve the quality of life now, without damaging the planet for the future.
As individuals we're made aware of the need to make better use of our resources, and no-one will argue against the need to reduce, reuse and recycle. However, sustainable development is more than that – it is about changing behaviour. There are many definitions of sustainable development , but what it comes down to is caring:
• for oneself
• for each other across cultures, distances and generations
• for the environment, near and far.
The report: Schools and sustainability. a climate for change? can be viewed at the following link:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/070173
