OUR COUNTRY NEEDS A LONG-TERM STRATEGY TO EDUCATE FOR SUSTAINABILITY & CLIMATE EDUCATION

It feels like only yesterday that we were in Glasgow at COP26, supporting the work of organisations engaged in developing?‘Sustainability and Climate Education' across the world.?The work of the FED continually reminds us that solving long-term issues, requires long-term solutions - and the focus of our weekly newsletter today is possibly one of the most important long-term issues of our time.

Pearson's recent publication 'The Pearson School Report'?provides an in-depth, independent look at the education system. Their research indicates that?teachers have seen an increase in pupil awareness (48%) and anxiety (19%) over the last year in school surrounding climate change and that almost two-thirds of headteachers (65%) will take steps to be a more sustainable and eco-friendly school.

The government's 2018 publication of?’A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment', sets out what it will do to improve the environment, within a generation.?This sets out a comprehensive and long-term approach to protecting and enhancing the environment in England for future generations.

Core to this strategy is climate education.?This week we are?convening?experts to identify and map out what such a climate education toolkit may look like across the curriculum, including exam specifications. If you would like to be involved and help shape our thinking,?please contact us at?[email protected].?

At the FED we strongly believe that long-term problems, like sustainability and climate education, need long-term solutions. The need for stability throughout the English education system is highlighted in?Olly Newton's comments in?FEWeek?recently where he indicates that:

"We need a long-term strategy. Since 2010 we have had nine education secretaries. Four of those have been within the past year. The sector is tired of constant churn and a seeming lack of commitment. Nothing can be more important than investing in education. It is an investment in our human capital and future talent, so we need to see a long-term plan."

Please do come and join?Professor Dame Alison Peacock,?Carl Ward,?Dr Lisa-Maria Müller?(Head of Research - Chartered College of Teaching),?Claire Muhlawako Madzura?(Co-Chair FED Learners Council) and?Naomi Love?(ECT - Chartered College of Teaching?Member) where they will be tackling discussing many of these issues at?Building the Future of Teaching and Learning.

As the momentum grows for a long-term plan or the English education system, so too does the need for a long-term vision and framework to support it. Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing more about the work we are currently undertaking that is moving us towards this goal.