Sustainability and Climate Change at Woodfield Infant School & Nursery

By 2025, all education settings will have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place a climate action plan. Our sustainability lead at Woodfield Infant School & Nursery is Mrs Elle Colley. 

Intent 

We aim to nurture environmentally aware and hopeful citizens by providing our children with a knowledge-rich, hands-on introduction to sustainability and climate change. Through engaging activities focused on nature, waste reduction, and energy conservation, we will empower our pupils to understand their connection to the planet and take simple, positive actions to protect their local environment, fostering a lifelong sense of responsibility and the belief that they can help create a greener future. 

Implementation  

Our curriculum aligns with the  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainability-and-climate-change-strategy  

Science and Geography 

• Weather patterns in the UK and beyond 

• Go on a "minibeast hunt" in the school grounds to learn about micro-habitats. 

• Observations of class trees in the school grounds to observe seasonal changes throughout the year.  

• Create birdfeeders for use in our Nature Garden. 

Design and Technology 

• All children and staff to use the different bins in the class to sort waste e.g. general rubbish, recycling, food waste. 

• Reuse plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, and other materials to make new and imaginative creations. 

• Food waste collections completed by our Eco-Warriers. 

PSHE and RE 

• Enquiry Question: How should we care for our world and why is this important? 

• Recognise that everyone in school has a responsibility to maintain the school environment. 

• Identify some jobs that people do to keep the local area pleasant. 

• Recognise some local job roles that help the community. 

• Children are encouraged to share their opinions on things that matter. 

Whole-school and daily routines 

• Our Year 2 Eco Warriers to ensure waste collections are correct and to champion sustainability. 

• Easy-to-use, colour-coded recycling bins to make sorting paper, plastic, and food waste a routine part of the day. 

• Grow fruit, vegetables, or flowers in the school gardens with children taking ownership of the process and care. 

• Use stories and animations to engage children's curiosity and build empathy for the planet. 

• Celebrating Walk to School initiatives to encourage walking or cycling to school and explore the benefits of reducing traffic pollution in the local area.  

• Trips to our local green spaces to observe the natural habitats of plants e.g. The Dingle, Copthorne Park. 

Impact 

By the end of KS1 and their journey with us at Woodfield, our children will:  

• Demonstrate an understanding of how their actions affect the environment.  

• Show care for living things and natural spaces.  

• Begin to use vocabulary related to sustainability and clime e.g. recycle, pollution, energy.  

• Feel confident in taking small, meaningful actions to help our planet.