Sustainability Strategy
The Department for Education (DfE) expects all schools in England to have a designated sustainability lead and a climate action plan in place by the start of the 2025–26 academic year, as part of its wider Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. This non-statutory guidance encourages schools to adopt a whole-setting approach to sustainability, integrating environmental responsibility into leadership, curriculum, operations, and community engagement. Please see the file below which outlines our Peak Edge Sustainability Strategy.
To us, sustainability means meeting our needs today without harming future generations. It relies on three connected pillars — Environment, Economy, and Equity — known as the Three Es. True sustainability happens when all three are in balance. The infographic below explains more about our interpretation of the Three Es in educational settings.
Let’s Go Zero
We’ve taken the
Let’s Go Zero pledge, declaring our aim to become zero carbon by 2030. We’re joining schools across the UK in this national campaign to show the overwhelming support for zero carbon schools, and inviting government and local councils to work with us to reach this goal.
We know that schools can be the trailblazers for their community, responding to young people’s calls for action. In fact, they can inspire whole communities to tackle the climate crisis. In the coming pivotal ‘climate decade,’ we will be part of Let’s Go Zero’s national network of schools and sustainability, sharing information about how to reach zero carbon, and working with local councils and government to make it happen.
We’re committing to cut carbon in a number of key areas. Here are some of the things we’ve already done / are planning to do:
- Calculate our school’s carbon footprint and take part in Count Your Carbon month.
- Optimise our settings to ensure our heating and hot water systems have efficient timings and temperatures set.
- Take part in a Switch Off campaign.
- Separate food waste bins around school.
- Educate pupils about reuse, reduce and recycle.
- Provide a uniform exchange shop.
- Optimise active travel (alongside Modeshift STARS).
- Development of the Woods of Wonder.
By joining the Let’s Go Zero campaign and committing to becoming a school, we’re taking a positive step on a local level to help combat the climate issues we all face globally. It sends a strong message to our whole school and community that together we can safeguard our planet for future generations.
Oughtibridge Primary School Eco Council
At Oughtibridge Primary School, we have an Eco Council which involves a group of pupils addressing environmental issues within the school and local community. Our Eco Council meet regularly to raise awareness of green issues, discuss eco-friendly ideas, plan initiatives and promote environmental awareness amongst their peers and wider school community.
Active Travel
The Eco Council and wider school work closely with Modeshift STARS. Taking part in Modeshift STARS has significantly helped our school embed a culture of sustainable travel. Pupils across school have enjoyed activities such as ‘Learn to Ride’ sessions, ‘Cycle Skills’, ‘Bikeability’ and ‘Balance Bikes’. We hope that building this confidence in cycling will help promote active travel as our pupils get older. We aim to keep working on our sustainable travel into the coming year and beyond!
Our Eco Council have worked alongside Modeshift STARS to take part in a number of activities and initiatives. One example is that they have enjoyed completing their ‘Active Travel Ambassadors’ training which involved them inspecting the neighbourhood around the school and identified ways to make walking and cycling easier and more enjoyable for school journeys.
Modeshift STARS have also worked with the school to produce an Active Travel Map for the local area which highlights a variety of travel options and a 5/10 minute walk zone and park and stride map. Please see this below.
Eco Council Active Travel Map
