Developing a Climate Action Strategy at Drake Primary School
Drake Primary School in Norfolk is leading the way in climate change education, thanks to the Department for Education's (DfE) Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy. The school's sustainability journey began when they attended a Climate and Nature Action in Education event at the University of East Anglia.
The school is now looking ahead, aiming to continue driving their sustainability journey forward and working towards their climate change education vision. One of the key initiatives that Drake Primary School is utilising is the Sustainability Support for Education, a one-stop shop for education settings to start building their Climate Action Plans quickly, easily, and thoroughly.
This digital hub of resources, services, and tools provides quality-assured resources and links to other programs, offering practical guidance and resources to understand the requirements and benefits of climate action planning. The updated strategy documents and leadership guidance issued by the DfE support schools in embedding sustainability into school culture and operations.
Drake Primary School has received support from various programs in creating their Climate Action Plan and prioritising actions. They have been working closely with Kit Marie Rackley, the Climate Ambassadors Regional Coordinator for the East of England, on the adaptation and resilience pillar of their Climate Action Plan.
The Climate Ambassadors program encourages schools to nominate a sustainability lead or “Climate Ambassador” by 2025, who will spearhead the creation and delivery of the Climate Action Plan, ensuring engagement across the school community. Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors offer expert support and advice to schools for developing actionable plans aligned with DfE strategic aims.
The school has also been working with their local Let's Go Zero Climate Action Advisor to look at the decarbonisation pillar of their Climate Action Plan and used the Eco-Schools Count Your Carbon tool to calculate the carbon footprint of the school.
Drake Primary School's Climate Action Plan includes a focus on embedding climate change education into the curriculum, providing opportunities for every child to learn about climate change causes and impacts. The school is already involved with environmental education programs such as the Woodland Trust's Green Tree Schools Award, Eco Schools, and Green Schools Project.
To further enhance the biodiversity and climate education elements of their Climate Action Plan, Drake Primary School has been utilising the Nature Park resources. The school is planning a BioBlitz, with each year group studying a different area of the school grounds throughout the year, linked to Nature Park activities.
The school has already made changes to their site, including a wildlife pond and gardening area, with the aim of connecting students to nature. They are also encouraging self-regulation as part of their climate change education, to create a space for discussing emotional reactions to climate change and developing positive strategies to manage eco-anxiety.
Drake Primary School's vision for climate change education is to equip teachers and school leaders with the knowledge and tools to help children and young people understand climate change, take climate action, and protect the environment. By supporting schools through leadership nomination, expert advisory, clear guidance, and practical tools, the DfE’s Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy equips educational settings to develop and implement robust Climate Action Plans by the 2025 deadline, progressing towards the UK education sector’s vision to be world-leading in sustainability by 2030.
- Drake Primary School, guided by the DfE's Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy, is working towards a vision of climate change education, aiming to equip teachers and school leaders with the necessary knowledge and tools.
- The school's Climate Action Plan includes a focus on embedding climate change education into the curriculum, ensuring every child learns about climate change causes and impacts.
- One of the resources Drake Primary School is utilizing is the Sustainability Support for Education, a digital hub providing quality-assured resources for building Climate Action Plans.
- In collaboration with their Let's Go Zero Climate Action Advisor, the school is working on the decarbonisation pillar of their Climate Action Plan, using tools like the Eco-Schools Count Your Carbon to calculate their carbon footprint.
- The school's Climate Action Plan also emphasizes biodiversity and climate education, with a BioBlitz planned and the use of Nature Park resources for outdoor learning.
- To address eco-anxiety, the school is encouraging self-regulation, creating a space for discussions on emotional reactions to climate change and developing positive strategies to manage it.
- By supporting schools through leadership nomination, expert advisory, clear guidance, and practical tools, the DfE’s Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy aims to make the UK education sector world-leading in sustainability by 2030.
