TO BE PUBLISHED May 2026
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Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will examine next steps for climate change and sustainability education in England, following publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review: Final Report and the Government’s plans to strengthen the place of climate change and sustainability within the national curriculum.
Curriculum reform & whole-school approaches
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss priorities for implementation in the context of the Government’s response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review: Final Report. We also expect discussion to reflect the Department for Education’s recent progress update on implementation across schools and children’s services of the existing Sustainability and climate change strategy, and the continued focus on preparing educational settings for climate-related challenges and embedding sustainability across teaching, operations and wider institutional practice. Delegates will discuss practical options for improving carbon literacy across the curriculum, including the role of climate action plans and sustainability leadership in supporting whole-school approaches.
Equity in delivery
Further discussion will assess what may be needed to support equitable access to high-quality climate and sustainability learning across different school settings and regions, including questions of school capacity, subject-specialist availability and teacher development. Attendees will consider the contribution of the National Education Nature Park and wider outdoor learning - including connection with the natural environment and access to green space - and how these approaches might support engagement, wellbeing and attainment more widely.
Natural history GCSE development & career pathways
The seminar will also look at curriculum and qualification pathways, including the design and development of the natural history GCSE and how practical and fieldwork elements could be integrated into curriculum and assessment. We expect discussion on implementation considerations - facilities, teaching resources and workforce readiness - alongside options for strengthening post-16 provision, including the role of green qualifications and collaboration between schools, further education providers and employers to support progression into green industries through curriculum co-design and access to work placements.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy: CAR: Final Report and the Government’s response - implications for climate change and sustainability priorities - alignment with the existing Sustainability and climate change strategy
- curriculum: embedding climate change and sustainability across key stages - balancing subject depth with cross-curriculum sustainability literacy - curriculum coherence and sequencing
- assessment: options for assessing climate knowledge and application - balancing knowledge, skills and practical learning - consistency with wider assessment reform
- qualifications: development of the natural history GCSE - role of fieldwork and practical elements - progression, credibility and accessibility for diverse learners
- whole-school practice: climate action plans as implementation tools - links between teaching, operations and leadership - supporting consistent approaches across school settings
- teaching: building confidence and subject knowledge - role of subject leaders and professional development - workload, support and access to high-quality resources
- equity and access: addressing variation in specialist provision across regions - access to green space and outdoor learning - implications for engagement, attainment and wellbeing
- wellbeing: outdoor learning and connection with nature - achieving mental health and engagement benefits - practical considerations for urban and constrained settings
- post-16 progression: climate and sustainability learning beyond compulsory education - links to green skills and employment pathways - collaboration with further education and employers
