Sustainability needs to be a key part of curriculum

The British Educational Research Association called for sustainability to become a key feature of the curriculum, inspections and other accountability systems in order to enable schools to make environmentally friendly choices.

Its final manifesto says that education has a key role to play in creating long-term responses to the social and environmental consequences of the climate crisis. Young people and teachers want to see change at all levels to value sustainability in their schools – not only in teaching and learning, but in the way schools are operated and regulated.
    
It says there needs to be a co-ordinated review of secondary school curricula involving teachers and students across the UK and that the environment should be part of all subjects and school practices. It says that there needs to be sustainability co-ordinators to lead each school to a greener approach.
    
The manifesto says there needs to be a focus on the environment both outside and inside the classroom – for instance, schools should scrutinise their approaches to procurement and food, as well as continuing professional development for teachers of all subjects to help them gain confidence in teaching about sustainability.

There should also be better opportunities for schools to green their own environments, including growing food and other plants, and external accredited awards for students and teachers with an environmental sustainability focus; for older students, these awards should carry UCAS points.
    
The manifesto also points out that there needs to be a community ‘sustainability curriculum’ for groups and parents involved in education, and a campaign to enlist the endorsement of politicians and social media influencers.