Schools are being asked to deliver more on sustainability than ever before. Climate Action Plans, carbon reduction, biodiversity projects, curriculum links and pupil engagement all require coordination, planning and evidence of progress.
And in a lot of schools, much of this responsibility falls to a single sustainability lead.
Recent research found that 84% of sustainability leads had received no formal sustainability training before taking on the role, while nearly 9 in 10 teachers receive no dedicated time to carry out sustainability responsibilities. Many are managing the role alongside full teaching timetables and existing leadership responsibilities.
The findings highlight a familiar challenge. Schools have committed staff who want to make a difference, but they often lack the time and capacity needed to drive change across an entire organisation.
One respondent described the experience as:
“Expected to deliver a specialist role on top of a full-time teaching load.”
Sustainability Cannot Sit With One Person
Effective climate action requires contributions from across the school community.
School leaders set priorities. Teachers bring climate learning into lessons. Site teams manage buildings and grounds. Governors provide oversight. Pupils bring ideas, energy and enthusiasm. Parents and carers help reinforce action beyond the school gates.
When all of these groups are involved, sustainability becomes part of everyday school life rather than an additional task owned by one member of staff – the challenge is creating a system that makes this possible.
Helping Sustainability Leads Focus on Impact
The Climate Education platform has been designed to reduce the workload associated with planning, coordinating and tracking sustainability activity.
Rather than starting with a blank sheet of paper, schools are guided through a structured approach that helps them identify priorities, plan actions and monitor progress.
The platform supports schools to:
- Develop and deliver Climate Action Plans
- Coordinate action across different teams and departments
- Access practical resources and guidance
- Track progress against sustainability goals
- Engage pupils in meaningful action
- Build climate education into the wider life of the school
This means sustainability leads spend less time chasing information, managing spreadsheets and researching next steps, and more time leading change within their school.
Giving Time Back for What Matters
One of the most encouraging findings from the research was how sustainability leads wanted to use any time they could save. Many wanted to spend more time improving biodiversity, developing outdoor learning opportunities and delivering practical activities with pupils.
Those are the activities that create lasting impact and help young people develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to respond to climate challenges. By taking care of much of the planning and organisational legwork, the Climate Education platform helps schools focus on those opportunities.
Schools do not need to find a sustainability expert who can do everything alone. They need a framework that enables everyone to contribute. Supporting your sustainability lead is one of the most effective ways to make that happen.
Find out how the Climate Education platform can help your school build a whole-school approach to climate action and sustainability.
