A Whole-School Curriculum Thread for a Greener Future

At our school, sustainability is more than a topic—it's a whole-school commitment that shapes learning from Early Years to Year 6. Through our curriculum, assemblies, pupil leadership, and partnerships, we empower children to become informed, responsible, and active global citizens.

🌱 Our Sustainability Curriculum Thread 

Sustainability is embedded across subjects and year groups, giving pupils a rich understanding of the natural world, climate responsibility, and their own power to make change. Each term, classes explore environmental themes through:

• Geography – habitats, climate, human impact, global citizenship 
• Science – ecosystems, materials, renewable energy, plant growth
• PSHE – responsibility, community action, ethical choices
• English – high-quality texts featuring environmental issues
• Art & DT – re-use, re-purpose, and celebrate nature through creative design

This ongoing thread ensures pupils build knowledge progressively while engaging with real-world challenges.

📚 The Reading Journey: Environmental Texts That Inspire

Every year group is introduced to carefully chosen books that build environmental awareness and spark curiosity.

Lower KS2

• Greta and the Giants – Zoë Tucker
• The Tiny Seed – Eric Carle
• The Hunter - Paul Geraghty
• The Last Wolf – Mini Grey
• One Plastic Bag – Miranda Paul

Upper KS2

• The Biggest Footprint - Tim Sears
• Plastic Planet – Georgia Amson-Bradshaw
• Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World – Laurie Lawlor

These texts anchor classroom discussions, writing, and research, helping pupils connect emotionally and intellectually with environmental issues.

🤝Working Together: Collaboration with Let’s Go Zero

We proudly partner with Let’s Go Zero, a national campaign helping schools move towards zero-carbon status. Through this collaboration, our pupils learn:

• how to monitor energy use
• how school choices affect carbon emissions
• ways to reduce waste and increase recycling
• the importance of collective climate action

Pupils regularly contribute to school audits and propose practical changes to help reduce our environmental footprint.

🏫 Assemblies on Key Environmental Figures

To inspire and educate, we deliver assemblies across the year focused on influential environmental leaders whose work has changed the world:

Sir David Attenborough

Celebrating his lifelong commitment to protecting wildlife and raising global environmental awareness.

Dr. Jane Goodall

Learning from her ground-breaking chimpanzee research and her global Roots & Shoots conservation movement.

Rachel Carson

Exploring how her book Silent Spring sparked modern environmental activism and policy change.

These assemblies help pupils understand the power of individual voices and global advocacy.

🌿 Pupil Leadership: Our Sustainability Team

Each year, our Sustainability Pupil-Led Team plays a vital role in driving change across the school. They meet regularly, work with staff, communicate with classes, and coordinate school-wide events and campaigns.

Their annual projects include:

🚶‍♂️ DCC Travel Smart

Encouraging families to walk, cycle, scoot, or use public transport to reduce emissions. Pupils gather data, lead challenges, and celebrate active travel successes.

💡 The Big Switch Off

A whole-school energy-saving initiative.
Pupil leaders monitor classroom energy use, promote “switch-off days,” and help classrooms adopt greener daily routines.

🌱 The Big Grow

A popular competition across classes.
We provide each pupil or class with seeds to germinate, nurture, and grow their own food.
Children learn about:

• plant life cycles
• soil and compost
• sustainable food systems
• healthy eating

Prizes are awarded for tallest plants, tastiest produce, best teamwork, and most creative gardening ideas.

🌍 Our Commitment & Partnerships

Through our curriculum, pupil leadership, and community partnerships, we are nurturing environmentally aware young people who understand their world and want to protect it.

Our sustainability journey is ongoing—and driven by our pupils, for our pupils, and for the planet we share.

UK Climate Change • Let's Go Zero

Let's Go Zero help our school:

• Track and understand your carbon emissions and climate risks.
• Create a climate action plan.
• Find funding for climate projects.
• Lower energy bills.
• Generate clean power.
• Nurture green spaces.
• Offer planet-friendly food.
• Get staff and students walking, scooting and cycling.
• Reduce waste.
• Create inspiring lessons linked to climate change.
• Engage and empower staff, young people and the wider school community.

Home | Education Nature Park

The National Education Nature Park programme empowers children and young people to make a positive difference to both their own and nature's future.

Go on a journey to get to know your outdoor space and use creative decision-making to improve your grounds for both people and nature. This free programme provide all educators with the resources, support and guidance to embed climate and nature into learning in a way that suits your setting and learners.

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