Sustainable Schools

The Government would like every school to be a sustainable school by 2020. A sustainable school prepares young people for a lifetime of sustainable living, through its teaching, its fabric and its day-to-day practices. It is guided by a commitment to care: 

• for oneself
• for each other (across cultures, distances and generations)
• and for the environment itself (far and near)

Sustainable development can build coherence among a range of initiatives and school practices. It offers schools a bigger picture in which to join up their work on a range of policies and initiatives, such as Every Child Matters, school travel planning, healthy living, school food, extended services, citizenship and learning outside the classroom.

The National Framework for Sustainable Schools has been established by the Government to help schools understand what they need to do to achieve this aim.

The framework is presented in the form of ‘doorways’ (sustainability themes), of which there are eight, are discrete entry points or places where schools can establish or develop their sustainability practices. 

The intent is for Schools to deliver on the following areas:

• Food and drink
• Schools to be model suppliers of healthy, sustainable food and drink, showing strong commitments to the environment, social responsibility and animal welfare in their food and drink provision, and maximising their use of local suppliers.
• Energy and water
• Schools to be models of energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation, showcasing opportunities such as wind, solar and biomass energy, insulation, rainwater harvesting and grey-water recycling to everyone who uses the school
• Traffic and travel
• Schools to be models of sustainable travel, where vehicles are used only when absolutely necessary and where there are exemplary facilities for healthier, less polluting or less dangerous modes of transport
• Purchasing and waste
• Schools to be models of waste minimisation and sustainable procurement, using goods and services of high environmental and ethical standards from local sources where practicable, and increasing value for money by reducing, reusing, repairing and recycling as much as possible.
• Buildings and grounds
• Schools – old and new – to manage and, where possible, design their buildings in ways that visibly demonstrate sustainable development to everyone who uses the school. Through their grounds, schools can bring pupils closer to the natural world, capture their imaginations in outdoor play, and help them learn about sustainable living.
• Inclusion and participation
• Schools to be models of social inclusion, enabling all pupils to participate fully in school life while instilling a long-lasting respect for human rights, freedoms, culture and creative expression.
• Local well-being
• Schools to be models of corporate citizenship within their local areas, enriching their educational mission with activities that improve the environment and quality of life of local people
• Global dimension
• Schools to be models of global citizenship, enriching their educational mission with activities that enrich the lives of people living in other parts of the world.

Farming For All provides external services and activities that support a number of the "Sustainable Schools Doorways" and works with schools to enable them to be model providers especially in the areas of "Food and drink", "Energy and Water", "Purchasing and Waste" and "Inclusion and participation" for fully able children and for those with special educational needs.

To see in more detail the activities available and how we can work with a school to help deliver extended services that enable children to fulfil their potential in an inclusive and supportive way have a look at our dedicated Sustainable Schools support area