Sustainability Curriculum

Intent

We intend to ensure all children are prepared for a world impacted by climate change and to foster a sense of responsibility for the planet we live on. We are committed to working together to educate our pupils on a wide range of issues and solutions to support a sustainable, biodiverse, and healthy future for us and the wider world. We want all our pupils to have a greater understanding of the environment and sustainable issues. Pupils are encouraged to enjoy and value the outdoors. We believe that sustainability is not only a global issue, but also a local one, and that we all have a role to play in making a positive difference. That is why we are committed not only to learning about and practising sustainability, but also inspiring and empowering others to do the same. We believe that everyone can make a difference, no matter how big or small, and that together we can create a more sustainable world, where every voice deserves to be heard.

Implementation

There are 5 pillars that support the ODBST sustainability journey, which encompass the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• Community: Learning about living our collective values with authenticity and pride
• Environment: Learning to grow a better world and biodiversity on the school site
• Curriculum: Learning through rich experiences and opportunities
• Innovation: Learning, inspiring and collaborating
• Climate positive: Learning to reduce waste and carbon consumption across our Trust community

It is through the curriculum and enrichment opportunities that we enable children to develop their understanding, appreciate sustainability and become environmental ambassadors. Our aim is to thread sustainability through our values and curriculum to ensure children from ODBST schools grow into responsible citizens where their knowledge, ideas and respect for our planet has a positive impact now and through time.

We follow a whole-school curriculum approach to sustainability that involves:

• Curriculum: We integrate sustainability and climate change topics across all subjects and stages, using a variety of resources and methods. We also offer opportunities for pupils to engage in hands-on learning through projects, field trips, and extracurricular activities.
• Enrichment: We involve pupils, staff, parents, governors, and the local community in our sustainability curriculum. We share our best practices and learn from others through networks and events. We also support local and global initiatives that align with our sustainability curriculum.
• Inclusion: We plan for deliberate and purposeful learning opportunities that are accessible to all children and develop a depth of knowledge and skills over time to empower them to make a difference now and in the future.

Impact

Every ODBST pupil will have the understanding and skills to:

• Reduce, reuse, and recycle creatively
• Develop school ecosystems (for example, by creating a bug garden/hotel)
• Reduce food waste and understand food economy and recycling
• Reduce the use of consumables (for example, paper and paper towels)
• Care for our local environment (for example, litter picking)
• Be aware of the need to reduce the amount of energy we use
• Understand ecosystems and biodiversity including underwater
• Raise awareness of pollution in our waterways/rivers/oceans and how to combat it
• Reduce the amount of water we waste
• Enjoy at least ten outdoor learning experiences a year
• Voice their opinions and hope as agents for change