30 March 2011

Schools can reap rewards with a focus on sustainability
The latest research shows that putting sustainability at the heart of the curriculum can reap rewards in terms of pupil outcomes and budget savings as - well as building a better future for the school's local and global communities and the environment.

With the end of the national sustainable schools strategy, a new Sustainable Schools Alliance has stepped into the breach to help support schools that want to meet the challenge of climate change and provide a stimulating learning environment. Groundwork is part of the Alliance, and here at Groundwork Lancashire West & Wigan we've responded with our comprehensive Sustainable Schools service.

The programme addresses all of the key elements of sustainability including energy and water, waste, biodiversity and is aligned to international standards such as ISO 14001. Very importantly, our services will capture the qualitative and quantitative data required for tracking positive impacts and for reporting to Ofsted. The programme actively involves pupils, teachers and managers with an emphasis on global citizenship and critical learning.

Groundwork specialises in delivering a bespoke and comprehensive service to each school by providing a personal Sustainable Schools Advisor. The programme is tailored to the particular needs of each school. We can work with management to reduce energy and procurement costs for example and we can also utilise our own specialised education practitioners to deliver in-class curriculum based work for pupils/students alike and offer teacher training and/or training for school governors.

In addition we can develop, design, deliver and maintain a wide range of projects including nature gardens, play areas and allotments and help schools to use their outdoor classroom to its fullest potential (e.g. living willow structures, mini-beast surveys and natural arts and crafts).

We know that most schools will be facing pressures on teaching resources and increasingly tight budgets. But our service also focuses on cutting costs as well as the benefits of education for sustainable development.

To find out more about Sustainable Schools, contact Fiona Brannigan on 01942 821444 or email Fiona.Brannigan@groundwork.org.uk

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