Climate Action Plan 2024–2027
What is our Climate Action Plan for?
In April 2022, the Department for Education published its Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, outlining expectations for education settings to take meaningful action in response to climate change. By 2025, all education settings were required to appoint a Sustainability Lead and develop a Climate Action Plan.
This plan supports schools in reflecting on current practice and identifying clear, practical next steps to improve sustainability. It also ensures that pupils are educated about climate change and empowered to contribute positively to a more sustainable future.
The John Bamford Primary School appointed a Sustainability Lead and a Sustainability Link Governor in July 2023.
Climate Action and Sustainability Lead | Mrs V. Hough
Climate Action and Sustainability Link Governor | Mrs E. Austin
Who has created our Climate Action Plan?
This Climate Action Plan has been developed collaboratively by a range of stakeholders: the Sustainability Lead, Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Sustainability Link Governor, and members of staff across the school. This shared approach reflects our belief that sustainability is a collective responsibility.
What is our compelling reason to act?
Climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing our planet. Rising global temperatures, pollution, and environmental degradation are having a profound impact on ecosystems, communities, and future generations. Collective action is essential if we are to slow these changes and repair the damage already caused.
At The John Bamford Primary School, our four School Values—Respect, Reflect, Resilience, and Collective Responsibility—guide everything we do. These values underpin our growing commitment to environmental responsibility and our concern for the world our children will inherit. In response, we have developed a curriculum that encourages pupils to understand their changing world and recognise their role in protecting it.
Respect for the environment is embedded within our school culture. We are fortunate to be surrounded by high-quality green spaces developed in partnership with our local community. We have weekly Forest School sessions, and teachers regularly plan learning experiences that encourage engagement with the natural world. Our science curriculum explicitly links learning to climate change, while our Local, National and Global Adventures curriculum promotes understanding of environmental issues across different communities and contexts.
Sustainability is woven throughout our curriculum to ensure pupils develop a deep and coherent understanding of environmental responsibility. Children are encouraged to ask questions, challenge ideas, and explore solutions that promote positive change. Our aim is to equip pupils with the knowledge, skills, and values they need to make a meaningful difference. In addition to this, we have our ‘Project Planet’ and Junior Leadership Team, consisting of pupils across the school, who also drive this forward with their thoughts, ideas and vision and have key input into our Action Plan, as well as our actions moving forward. In addition to this, we have also supported staff in their own development, giving both feedback and training that identifies next steps that staff can consider when making their own decisions in school moving forward.
We also recognise that climate change can impact mental health and wellbeing. As such, we place the wellbeing of pupils, staff, and the wider school community at the heart of our decision-making. Our approach ensures that environmental responsibility is balanced with care, optimism, and resilience. We have our school’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy and we have successfully been awarded Wellbeing Award for Schools which further embeds our approach to this.
Given the urgency of the climate crisis, its impact on children’s wellbeing, and the need to prepare pupils for life in the 2030s and beyond, we recognise that more must be done.
Our Climate Action Plan is a core component of our School Development Strategy and a key governance priority. It is reviewed regularly to ensure that environmental impact is considered in both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic planning. Through sustainable practice, we aim to model respect for our planet and demonstrate the importance of responsible environmental stewardship.
How will we deliver this Climate Action Plan and monitor progress?
Our Climate Action Plan focuses on four key areas:
- Decarbonisation
- Adaptation and resilience
- Biodiversity
- Climate education
Each area includes clear objectives and specific, measurable actions.
In addition to the core priorities within this Climate Action Plan, The John Bamford Primary School is committed to strengthening its impact through sustainable procurement practices, including mindful purchasing decisions that reduce waste and environmental impact wherever possible.
We will actively promote sustainable and active travel to school, encouraging walking, cycling, and other low-carbon travel choices in partnership with families and the local community.
Reducing waste remains a priority, with continued focus on recycling, re-using, and educating pupils about responsible consumption and waste reduction.
We are also committed to sharing good practice beyond our school, working collaboratively with other schools and local networks to share learning, resources, and successful approaches to sustainability.
Delivery of the plan is a shared responsibility across our school community, including pupils, staff, parents, governors, and the wider local community. We value collaboration, actively seek ideas from others, and build on existing partnerships while developing new ones to support our sustainability goals.
Overall responsibility for implementation sits with the Sustainability Lead, Mrs V. Hough, supported by the Sustainability Link Governor, Mrs E. Austin. Staff are provided with appropriate time, training, and resources to support delivery, and named leads will be identified for specific elements of the plan to ensure accountability and progress.
A copy of our current Action Plan for the Year 2025-2026 can be found by clicking here.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to get in touch with us via the school office and we will be more than happy to discuss this with you further.
