This one day online conference focuses on key issues, progress and next steps for provision of climate change and sustainability education in England, and for supporting schools to become greener and more climate resilient.

It is bringing together key stakeholders and policymakers to examine rollout of the DfE’s climate change strategy, including its target for all education settings in England to have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place a Climate Action Plans by 2025.

Delegates will discuss priorities for the Department’s roadmap setting out timeframes and how sustainability targets are to be met, due to be published in Autumn 2024.

They will also look at progress so far in the expansion of the Climate Ambassadors Scheme, including rollout of the Climate Action Planning Sector Engagement and Support Service (SESS) which aims to provide free cross-disciplinary climate and sustainability support to education settings, as part of the DfE’s wider National Climate Education Plan, and Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy.

Those attending will assess opportunities and challenges in implementing curriculum changes, alongside approaches to further integrate climate change and sustainability education into curriculums across England’s schools, including priorities for government, education providers and industry going forward.

The conference will also be an opportunity to evaluate the new Natural History GCSE, due to be introduced by September 2025, looking at key issues for implementation and how the new qualification will enable learners to gain a deeper knowledge of the natural world and environmental issues.

We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez, Head of School, Mathematical, Computational and Physical Sciences, University of Reading; and Lead, Climate Ambassador Scheme on the rollout of the Scheme; and Mary Colwell, Conservationist, Author, and Director, Curlew Action, on ambitions for the new Natural History GCSE.

Areas for discussion in the agenda include:
• implementation: securing resources - widening access to climate change education, for both learners and teaching staff - addressing inequalities in pupils’ access and participation
• collaboration:
     ◦ best practice and frameworks for industry experts working with schools to both develop teacher training and help schools achieve their sustainability aims
     ◦ approaches for increasing strategic and regional partnerships - how peer-to-peer learning between schools, regional hubs, universities and industry experts will work in practice
• engagement and progression:
     ◦ strategies for increasing pupil engagement and uptake in STEM and sustainability subjects
     ◦ creating effective pathways into further study - improving education and careers guidance and equipping young people with sustainability skills that are in high demand.