Webinar: Climate change and sustainability education in primary schools

What is the purpose of this webinar?

This webinar is part of a series around curriculum enrichment in primary schools as part of the extensive Rethinking Curriculum project. This series aims to support and equip both teachers and school leaders with the knowledge and skills to identify, plan and implement curriculum development work in a sustainable, creative and impactful way. 

Who is this webinar aimed at?

This webinar will be particularly valuable to primary teachers, those involved in curriculum design more broadly, and all educators who want to learn about climate change and sustainability education in practice. 

What does the webinar explore?

In this webinar, expert practitioners and researchers – Professor Leigh Hoath, Heena Dave, Jenn Plews OBE and Emma Vyvyan – share insights and experiences of embedding climate change and sustainability education across the curriculum. At the end of their presentations, there is a Q&A session to learn about the why, how and what next in developing a climate and sustainability focussed primary curriculum.

How could I use this webinar to support my team?

This webinar could be re-watched with your school leadership or teaching teams to develop a shared understanding of this approach. We have prepared some reflective questions that could be used to inform discussions and begin to consider what this might look like in your context. 

The webinar has been edited split into the following sections:

1. 1. 0.15 – Heena Dave and Professor Leigh Hoath, Co-Founders of Climate Adapted Pathways for Education (CAPE), explain the importance of taking an evidence-informed approach to climate change education in primary schools. They also provide a useful framework to support with embedding a climate change and sustainability focus in the curriculum. 
   2. 10.34 – Jenn Plews OBE, Trust Leader and CEO at Northern Star Academies Trust, shares her Trust’s journey introducing and embedding a climate change and sustainability focus in their curriculum.
   3. 22.21 – Emma Vyvyan, Headteacher at Sky Primary School and Eden Project Nursery, shares her school’s journey developing a curriculum with a climate change and sustainability focus.
   4. 36.13 – A Q&A session to further explore the challenges, opportunities and practicalities of introducing and implementing climate change and sustainability education in primary schools. 

As you watch the webinar, you may wish to note down insights that build on your understanding of this work. 

You may wish to consider: 

• Why do you think climate education is/could be important for the students in your context?
• How does your current vision and approach align with a) wider school priorities b) DfEDepartment for Education - a ministerial department responsible for children’s services and education in England Climate Sustainability and Climate strategy? c) UN’s Sustainable Development Goals? Could anything be refined?
• What principles and practices outlined in the presentations resonate with your current understanding and application of climate education in your setting?
• How have the presentations shifted your current thinking around climate change and sustainability education? How could this inform your approach going forward?
• What might you use the framework offered by CAPE to inform your curriculum work in this area?
• What are the challenges and complexities associated with this curriculum work? How have the presenters attempted to overcome these?
• What steps might you take to develop climate literacy in your staff team? Are there any learnings from the presenters?
• What steps might you take to foster ‘buy-in’ from other stakeholders (e.g. parents, governors, community leaders etc.)? Are there any learnings from the presenters?
• Are there any further questions you have about introducing, implementing or refining your current approach to climate change and sustainability education?