Making education planet-friendly

The Department for Education has launched its Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, which includes plans to improve the teaching of climate issues and the natural world, take action to reduce emissions from education buildings, as well as improve biodiversity on school land.

The government recognises that the education of future generations will be crucial to securing the health of the planet. It will therefore introduce a new Natural History qualification by 2025, which will teach environmental and sustainability issues, and has pledged greater support for teaching climate change at all levels.

The strategy also outlines plans to reduce direct and indirect emissions from education buildings, as well as make the education estate resilient to the effects of climate change.

This issue of Education Business delves into the DfE’s climate strategy, on page 25, while on page 19, Angela Howarth from the Energy Saving Trust shares tips on how to become more energy efficient amid rising energy prices and environmental concerns.

Elsewhere, Victoria Temple from the National Centre for Computing Education explains how schools can ‘grow’ their own computing talent by getting teachers of other subjects to do bursary-funded computing training.

Angela Pisanu, editor

Protecting face-to-face education

During the current surge in Omicron cases, the education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has appealed to school leaders to do everything in their power to protect face-to-face learning and keep schools open.

Acknowledging that operational challenges could be caused by workforce shortages, an open letter by Zahawi encourages schools to consider implementing a flexible approach to learning, and is urging retired teachers and those that have left the profession to come back to the classroom.

Keeping schools well ventilated to reduce the spread of the virus has become a major focus in schools. As the virus is mainly transmitted by air, keeping spaces well ventilated can dilute the virus, while air cleaning technology is also being investigated. Read the latest on ventilation and air purification on page 23.

Digital skills are increasingly important for young people’s future, but how do schools know that their provision is meeting the evolving demands of the 21st century? Page 53 shares how schools can develop their computing provision with a new evaluation tool from the National Centre for Computing Education, called the Computing Quality Framework (CQF).

Angela Pisanu, editor

Back to school with relaxed Covid rules

Schools have welcomed pupils back for the Autumn term with less Covid restrictions.

The ‘bubble’ system has ended and close contacts of positive covid cases no longer have to self isolate for ten days, instead taking a PCR test and isolating if positive. But the pandemic is still ongoing, and disruption to education is expected. Indeed, the government has reintroduced its remote education direction, which places a legal duty upon schools to provide immediate remote learning for pupils unable to attend classes due to Covid-19.

This issue of Education Business magazine explains the infection control measures that are continuing in schools despite a relaxation of rules, such as extra hygiene measures and enhanced cleaning. Indoor air quality is also discussed, including the role of ventilation, fresh air and air purification in eradicating virus particles in circulation. And with less chance of catching the virus outside, the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom gives tips and advice on how schools can increase the amount of time they spend outside during the school day.

Elsewhere in the magazine, we give an update on the government’s School Rebuilding Programme, looking at some of the newly confirmed schools, as well as the building projects selected during the first wave of funding. Meanwhile, John McClean from the Joint Union Asbestos Campaign discusses the dangers of asbestos and what needs to happen to tackle the invisible killer.

Angela Pisanu, editor

Playing catch-up

A study by the Education Endowment Foundation has found that the attainment gap between disadvantaged primary school pupils and their classmates in maths has grown by one month since the onset of the pandemic.

The study also shows that the attainment gap did not widen or shrink during the Autumn 2020 term when schools were open, suggesting that gaps caused by Covid are unlikely to close without intervention.

The government has outlined what it believes this intervention should be, and has acknowledged that catch-up measures need to focus on long-term recovery, as well as the here and now. Tutoring, summer schools, and free teaching resources make up part of the plan, and Sir Kevan Collins has been appointed as Education Recovery Commissioner to oversee the education catch-up programme, and take a longer term view.

Staying on the theme of long-term education recovery, a new study, called COVID Social Mobility and Opportunities (COSMO), will follow the outcomes of year 11 students across England to find out how the pandemic has affected them in terms of educational attainment, wellbeing, longer-term educational and career outcomes, and socio-economic inequalities in life chances.

Page 15 of this issue of Education Business takes an in-depth look at the government’s catch-up support plan, while page 47 focuses on how education technology can help pupils recover lost learning. Page 60 meanwhile outlines how play can reduce the negative impact school closures had on pupils, and how it should not be sacrificed due to pressure to increase classroom time.

Angela Pisanu, editor