How to make sustainability a strategic priority for your school or trust

Help your school or trust do all it can to tackle climate change by embedding environmental sustainability into its vision, strategy and practice. Know how to get the ball rolling on sustainability, monitor your school or trust's practice, and ensure your whole school community has the chance to get involved.

Last reviewed on 25 April 2025
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Contents
  1. Why your school should act on sustainability now
  2. How to start the conversation about sustainability
  3. Find out how sustainable your current practice is 
  4. Put sustainability at the heart of your vision and values
  5. Turn your vision into a strategy
  6. Monitor progress

Why your school should act on sustainability now

In April 2022, the Department for Education (DfE) published its sustainability and climate change strategy, to improve sustainability in schools. In December 2023, it published a summary of progress so far.

While the DfE hasn't imposed any reporting requirements on schools yet, its strategy may ultimately have an impact on things like your curriculum, school premises and procurement processes. 

Prepare for these changes by embedding sustainability across your school. With rising costs and budgetary restraints, reducing energy usage and other waste will also save your school money.

Don't worry if you're just getting started on this journey – below you'll find out how to take your first steps to embed sustainability across your school.

The DfE expects your school to have a climate action plan

Decarbonisation, such as finding ways to be more energy efficient and taking action to reduce carbon emissions Adaptation and resilience, for example taking action to