Schools

Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy

The Department for Education developed a Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy in 2022 setting a target for all education settings to have a sustainability lead and a climate action plan in place by 2025, to help embed sustainability in all they do. Its aim is for the UK to be the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030.

Schools, nurseries and colleges will be able to access a new support service to help develop these plans. These plans will also help Wokingham Borough reduce emissions locally helping us to progress towards our target of becoming a carbon neutral Borough by 2030.

Climate Ambassador Scheme

The Climate Ambassador Scheme connects schools and colleges around the UK with climate and sustainability experts to access free support and guidance. Climate ambassadors from universities and businesses around the UK provide free support and guidance to teachers, school and college leaders, and everyone involved in the education system.  As well as educating pupils about climate change, Climate Ambassadors can help to give schools and colleges practical advice on how to cut their carbon footprint, potentially saving money on energy bills.

Led by the University of Reading and STEM Learning, climate ambassadors have already helped more than 80,000 learners and educators to include climate education in the curriculum and reduce their environmental impact.

Climate ambassadors will be able to provide support to education settings in the following ways:

1. Fact checking resources for teachers
2. Providing advice to school leaders and governors on reducing carbon emissions
3. Making climate data accessible for students
4. Helping to forge links between local industry and schools
5. Highlighting the important role of experts outside of STEM fields in engaging educators with climate change initiatives

If you have a great knowledge of climate change, biodiversity or sustainability, Climate Ambassadors is perfect for you. Young children have a lot of questions; they want to learn so much more about the world around us. If you want to go into schools and colleges to give talks, if you want to help education settings learn more about places they can find great resources, or you want to help the places and people in our education system become greener and more sustainable please sign up to the scheme.

For more information on the scheme and how to become a volunteer Climate Ambassador visit the Climate Ambassadors site.

National Education Nature Park

Launched in October 2023 with the Natural History Museum and the Royal Horticultural Society, the National Education Nature Park offers children and young people the opportunity to take hands-on action to improve biodiversity and tackle climate change.

Schools, colleges and nurseries that sign up will have access to a range of resources including digital tools, classroom activities, and an interactive map displaying the growing Nature Park across the school estate.

Whether it’s through building rain gardens, growing pollinator-friendly plants, or creating habitats, the Nature Park is inspiring young people to take action to engage with nature in their local area.

Wokingham MyJourney

Wokingham Borough Council work with schools to encourage safe, active and sustainable journeys to school for children (and parents). We want to help our young people gain the lifelong skills and knowledge they need to travel safely, responsibly and (where appropriate) independently.

Travelling actively to school provides the perfect opportunity for children to learn about their local area, expand their social networks and feel independent.

Visit Wokingham MyJourney for more information on our Bikeability and air quality projects and access to lots of school resources on active travel.