Sustainable Schools - rspb.org.uk · 8 Sustainable Schools Redefining Sustainable Schools - the Vision not enough at this time for Government to be content to set this as the target

SustainableSchools

Education Policy and AdvocacyPriorities for RSPB Northern Ireland

Building, inspiringand protecting our

shared future

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2 Sustainable Schools

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Contents

3Building, inspiring and protecting our shared future

ForewordDr Julian Greenwood

IntroductionJanet Wilson

Redefining SustainableSchools - the Vision

Building

Inspiring

Protecting

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A document written by Janet Wilsonand Phil Burfield.Special acknowledgements to ShirelleStewart, Catherine Gleave and Karen Sheil


ForewordA photograph of Earth fromspace shows a living skin –like the skin of an apple –but thinner than that, and itis that skin that keeps Earthhabitable. That skin containsall the soil, air and waterthat maintain the lifesupport systems uponwhich we all depend.Disrupt any of the lifesupport systems and wejeopardise our very futurehere and the futures of thecountless millions of otherspecies of animals andplants that share this planetwith us.

Earth holds a limited supply ofnutrients in the soil. A sustainable lifewould ensure that those nutrientscould be used over and over again.Rocks beneath the soil hold limitedsupplies of minerals upon which ourglobal industries depend. Asustainable life would ensure thatthose minerals could be used overand over again. Animals and plantsdepend upon clean sources of air andwater to grow. A sustainable lifewould ensure that our air and waterwould remain clean - for ever. Ourenergy comes from the Sun – eitherdirectly from sunlight – or indirectlyfrom fossilised sunshine in the formof coal, oil and natural gas. Asustainable life would ensure thatenergy use would not exceed energyavailable from the Sun.

One of today’s buzz-phrases isecological footprint – we areconstantly reminded to reduce ourecological footprint. But what doesthis mean? Simply it means living asustainable life: a life where nothingis wasted and thrown away, whererecycling and reuse are the norm; alife where energy is used wisely, usingno more than the Sun can supply; alife where water and air are clean andpure achieved by the sensibleutilisation of minerals, nutrients andenergy.

Unfortunately there are manyexamples in history where mankinddid not live sustainably, wheresocieties expanded and ultimatelycollapsed, like the Anasazi communityof New Mexico that disappearedbefore 1200 AD and the Maya

community of the Yucatan Peninsulathat disappeared over a thousandyears ago1. Mankind has never beenas well connected as now – globalcommunication and technologieskeep us in touch. We learn from oneanother. And we can learn aboutsustainable living. It would be naïveto suggest that sustainable livingcould happen overnight. It will be agradual but accelerating processbrought about by global and localsocieties, like our own in NorthernIreland.

Children and young people need tobe at the centre of the move towardsa sustainable future; a future ofshared values – values of health,prosperity and equality: a futurewhere children and young peopledevelop as citizens of planet Earth,shaping their future in sustainableliving.

And that is why the publication of theRSPB’s vision for sustainable schoolsis so important. It is a localnavigational tool for charting a coursetowards a sustainable future forNorthern Ireland’s schools. Onceembarked upon a course towards asustainable future, those children andyoung people will have embarkedupon a life voyage. Let us help themon their journey by embracing theprinciples of Sustainable Schools:building, inspiring and protecting ourshared future.

Dr Julian GreenwoodHead of Teaching and Learning (Science)Stranmillis University College, Belfast

Children and young peopleneed to be at the centre ofthe move towards asustainable future; a futureof shared values – values ofhealth, prosperity andequality: a future wherechildren and young peopledevelop as citizens of planetEarth, shaping their futurein sustainable living.

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IntroductionThe RSPB believes that sustainable development principles mustlie at the core of the education system such that all educationalestablishments become vibrant showcases of sustainabledevelopment among the communities they serve. At the heartof these principles is our shared environment and all it providesfor us today, and will need to provide for future generations.

Much has been written aboutsustainable development in aneducational context and manyexcellent examples of sustainabilityin practice exist in our schools andother educational institutions, bothin terms of the infrastructure and theformal and non-formal curriculum.However, to date there is no cohesivepolicy providing a vision or settingout the support needed to realise thismost fundamental step forward inNorthern Ireland’s future.

The Northern Ireland SustainableDevelopment Strategy, ‘First StepsTowards Sustainability’2, launched in2006 identified the contribution ofeducation to sustainable developmentin NI. The subsequentImplementation Plan3 sets out anumber of targets for education, allof which have merit, but arepiecemeal and somehow lack a senseof the big picture and therefore theimperative for everyone to get behindthem and get on with it! In 2007, theDepartment of Education publisheda consultation on SustainableSchools4 but this had much more todo with the economic viability of ourschools than true sustainability.Similarly, there are numerousinitiatives to raise standards andpromote good practice in our schools.The Extended Schools Programme5,for example, is producing excellentresults and RSPB acknowledges allthe efforts that have been made butwithout an overarching vision wemiss opportunities to fostersomething much bigger and longerterm – the opportunity to empowerour young people to live their livesin a way that will itself sustain life.

In this document, the RSPBchallenges government to redefineSustainable Schools in NorthernIreland, and to devise policies andstructures that will deliver schoolsand learning that are truly sustainable. Through three cornerstones –building, inspiring and protecting –we demonstrate the diverse andcomplimentary ways in which schoolscontribute to sustainability, givingexamples of what is already beingachieved, the diverse benefits thisbrings, and how individuals havebeen inspired to continue to takeaction.

There are many excellent examples,on our doorstep and across the globe,of how sustainable schools might beachieved so we don’t have to startfrom scratch. We can learn from theexperience of colleagues in otherjurisdictions. For example, in Englandmuch effort has already been investedin establishing Sustainable Schoolsand in Wales, Education forSustainable Development and GlobalCitizenship (ESDGC) has been placedat the centre of Government. The timeis right for us in Northern Ireland tograsp the opportunity to develop astrategy for delivering sustainableschools and ESDGC.

It is twenty years since the visionaryBrundtland report, ‘Our CommonFuture’6 which launched the conceptof the three pillars of SustainableDevelopment along with the policychanges needed for achieving this,and a wealth of ideas and initiativeshave emerged since then. We havea new political energy andunderstanding in Northern Irelandthat we only dreamed of twenty yearsago. Sustainable development anda brighter Northern Ireland go handin hand: we must use this opportunityto bring all the players together andto prepare a solid foundation for apositive, shared future and celebrateBrundtland’s coming of age.

This document is not intended to bea definitive prescription – rather, it isa call to action and an invitation. TheRSPB calls on the new administrationto use its energy, and the uniqueposition of Sustainable Developmentat the very heart of government, tocreate a vision and provide thenecessary framework for sustainableschools in Northern Ireland to becomea reality. We also invite allcontributors from formal and informaleducation, the public and privatebusiness sector, the environmental,development and community NGOsand everyone who seeks to make adifference to enter into a dialogue onthis issue. Through inclusive debateand sharing our visions andaspirations, together withgovernment backing, we can ensurethat tomorrow’s decision makersenjoy a comprehensive, cohesive,outward looking education that willbring benefits to all people, locallyand globally. We must not fail theyoung people whose future dependson our courage to act today.

Janet WilsonEducation Manager,RSPB Northern Ireland

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Redefining Sustainable Schools- the Vision

not enough at this time forGovernment to be content to set thisas the target for the future. Right nowwe need a cohesive, visionarystrategy for Education for SustainableDevelopment and Global Citizenship,that will be reflected in revisedSustainable DevelopmentImplementation Plans, leading to trulysustainable schools in NorthernIreland. Not only would this servefuture generations in a positive waybut also would demonstrate thematurity of this administration as aleader in progressive thinking.

Priorities for RSPB NorthernIrelandThe RSPB believes that Governmentshould:

� Commit to redefining the vision ofSustainable Schools in Northern Ireland (acknowledging the equalimportance of the natural environment, society and the economy within it).

� Establish an inclusive Panel for Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship, drawing on the broadexpertise of the Northern Ireland community with experience in thisfield.

� Empower the Department of Education to develop a challengingaccreditation scheme for sustainable schools in Northern Ireland and ensure that the targetsset are assessed as part of the schools’ inspection process.

� Ensure that this accreditation by schools should become one of OFMDFM’s sustainable development indicators and should be complete by 2020.

The sustainability of a school is aboutfar more than just its size andeconomic viability – it is about therole it plays within the communityand environment, rural and urban,locally and globally, as a physicalstructure and a source of learning,inspiration, and action. It is throughrecognising this diverse opportunitythat we will not only provide all ofour young people with an excellentquality of education, but also deliverour Government’s aspiration for asustainable future.

As with all the other aspects of theworld we live in and experience everyday, the composite elements ofsustainable learning all contributeand complement each other. Forinstance, the management and designof schools and grounds directlyimpacts on the environment, but atthe same time the whole schoolenvironment plays a vital role inshaping attitudes and behaviour inyoung people. Innovative teachingpractices engage pupils and increasetheir attainment, while alsoconnecting them with theenvironment and world around them,inspiring concern and action toprotect it, and promoting healthylifestyles and committed citizenship.

For Education for SustainableDevelopment and Global Citizenship(ESDGC) to become more than anaspiration, a combination of elementswill be required. Just as providingthe right physical environment willnot on its own embed a culture ofsustainability, while the curriculumis another key piece of the solution,it alone does not go far enough toensure that sustainability will beembedded in every school. Similarly,

for young people to develop a truesense of sustainable citizenship, theymust engage with their communitiesand look beyond to the wider world.The physical environment in whichthey spend their time, integrated withinnovative teaching activities, setalongside developing connectionsand interactions with the local andglobal environments andcommunities will work together todevelop them as sustainable citizensempowered to meet the challengesof the future and to enjoy the livesthey lead. In short, it will be througha holistic view of the buildings andschool grounds complemented bythe curriculum, learning activities andethos of the school that a culture ofsustainability is embedded.

The following sections outline thisvision in more detail. These includespecific targeted ‘asks’ to Governmentto guarantee that it successfullyensures the overall requirementbelow is achieved.

Sustainability is undoubtedly on theagenda, but it is happening in afragmented, piecemeal way and assuch we stand to lose the enormousbenefits for society, environment andeconomy that we are poised to gainat this time. The SustainableDevelopment Implementation Plansets a target for 25% of all schools togain Eco-school status by 20097.Along with many organisations’awards and incentive schemes, Eco-Schools recognition is an extremelyworthwhile aspiration andundoubtedly contributes tosustainability in our schools. Thistarget is a great first step and is to beencouraged and supported, but whatabout the other 75% of schools? It is

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BuildingIn this section, we considersome aspects of the physicalschool environment,acknowledging the role thisplays in the building of asustainable society. NorthernIreland needs the youngpeople of today to becomefully participative members ofa democratic sustainablesociety tomorrow. Youngpeople spend a greatproportion of their time in theschool environment and sincethe environment around themshapes their thinking andattitudes, we owe it to them tomake it the best it can be, andto ensure that it prepares themfor the lives they will lead.

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CASE STUDY


Infrastructure

Many schools are already beginningto contribute to reducing their impacton the environment, to the benefit ofbiodiversity and communities (oftenalso reducing their running costs atthe same time). Some excellentexamples of new build demonstratehow such buildings can contribute tolearning and inspiring as well asenergy and cost saving. It will,however, take time for all our schoolsand educational establishments toachieve such standards, and indeedthere may often be a very validargument for preserving some of ourfine old buildings. Regardless of thestatus of the buildings, there are anumber of relatively simple measuresthat schools can take in how theirbuildings and grounds are designedand operated, which can help themstart on the journey to realising thevision for sustainability. At the sametime, these steps – and the action andbehaviours they demonstrate – thenbegin to diffuse into localcommunities as pupils (and staff andparents) practice them at home andin other areas of their lives8.

Energy

By reducing the amount of energyused and revising how it is sourced,a school not only saves money butalso reduces its impact on climatechange and the overall demand forfinite resources. Some of the stepsschools can take to address thisinclude simply replacing light bulbswith energy efficient equivalents (andmaking a point of turning them off in

Building

Fivemiletown College

With huge investments in the schoolinfrastructure, including uniquearchitectural design incorporatingsolar glazing on raised walkwaysbetween the buildings and 161 solarPV panels covering much of theschool’s roof, Fivemiletown Collegein Co Tyrone is a great example of thecontribution schools can make toreducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Not only has energy efficiencyimproved dramatically but the pupilsand community can see the benefitsfirst hand and gain a sense of actuallyliving sustainably.

Alistair Dunne, Headmaster atFivemiletown College, said:“We areall extremely excited about theongoing developments being madeto the school site. The wholecommunity wanted a school that wasboth a legacy and focal point for thetown and we all felt that it wasimportant that the new school shouldbe environmentally friendly and leadthe way for the community.Sustainable living will be secondnature to our students.”

unoccupied rooms); installingadditional insulation to reduceheating costs (and ensuring windowsare closed when the heating is on);and fitting solar or wind powertechnology to source renewableenergy.

Water

A school’s water usage can bereduced by stopping wastage throughdripping taps (and those just notturned off properly) and fixing otherleaks. Alternative sources of waterare also available, such as harvestingrainwater and wastewater from sinksto fill toilet cisterns. Capturingrainwater in this way also reducesthe amount of run-off direct into thedrainage systems, which in periodsof very heavy rainfall can otherwiselead to flooding. Having sustainabledrainage systems (SuDS) in theschool grounds further reduces therate of run-off, and also creates aresource in the school grounds forthe benefit of biodiversity andteaching.

Purchasing and Waste

Sourcing resources consumed in theschool from local suppliers benefitsbusinesses in the local community,while at the same time reducingemissions associated withtransporting the goods and servicesto the school. This also makes it easierto check how and where the productwas produced (including whether itis from ethical and fair trade sources),and on the sustainability credentialsof the company providing them itself.

A school should also consider how itimpacts on the environment with theoutputs of its purchases – minimisingwaste through assessing andpurchasing only what it really needs,in a form with minimum packaging,and reusing and recycling as muchas possible.

Food

There are a number of sustainabilityconsiderations relating to the foodprovided by a school, some buildingon those identified under Purchasingand Waste. Locally sourced food islikely to be fresher and therefore helpsto promote healthy eating amongstpupils, while also benefiting localproducers. Where external companiesare contracted to provide meals etc,they should meet establishedsustainability requirements. Pupilscan also review where food has comefrom and how it was produced,offering a diverse range of learningopportunities from how plants grow,to animal welfare and the impact offarming on the environment. Agrowing number of schools andeducational establishments operatea fair trade policy, often initiated bythe young people themselves,demonstrating their concern andproviding all the associated learningopportunities. Food waste can alsobe used for composting in the schoolgrounds.

School Grounds and Buildings

School grounds provide a wealth ofopenings to promote sustainability.Rather than simply having traditional

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CASE STUDY


Fleming Fulton

Fleming Fulton School in Belfast hasbuilt on the enthusiasm of theirpupils, teachers and wider schoolcommunity to create a range of minihabitats to support both their learningand local wildlife. Using their schoolgrounds, they have designed andcreated an innovative area that catersfor a variety of physical, social andlearning needs and bringsbiodiversity to their doorstep.Through links built with the widercommunity, the school was able tomaximise the opportunity to providea first-class learning environment fortheir pupils. Teacher Norman Johnsoncommented, “At Fleming Fulton ourNature trail is a sustainable oasis ofdiverse habitat, that 'branches' outfor all to enjoy”

playgrounds, they can instead becultivated into far more inspiringlandscapes for healthy play andlearning, with additional benefits forbiodiversity (and often actuallyrequiring less grounds maintenancethan otherwise may be required).The design of buildings can also havebenefits beyond energy and wateralready suggested, to also includeimpacts on staff morale and pupilbehaviour. Out of school hours,buildings and grounds can be utilisedfor extended services, and as aresource available to the whole localcommunity.

Transport

By providing suitable facilities forcycling – such as secure andprotective bike storage, showers, andsufficient lockers for equipment – bothpupils and staff will be encouragedto adopt a very healthy way oftravelling (while also reducingemissions and congestion associatedwith cars and buses). Where cyclingor walking are not practical, bestpractice approaches to the use of cars(such as car-sharing) and bus travelwill limit the impacts that they have.

Priorities for RSPB NorthernIrelandThe RSPB believes that theGovernment should:

� Set and implement targets for theadoption of sustainable measuresfor the six areas identified above,ensuring that the Strategic Objectives and Key Targets from Government’s Sustainable Development Strategy ‘First StepsTowards Sustainability’are met.

Building

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Inspiring

While sustainable living comesabout as the result of manyinfluences and motivations,teachers at all levels areuniquely placed to inspire andguide young people.Education for SustainableDevelopment is a statutoryrequirement within the revisedNorthern Ireland curriculum.However, at present, the choiceof focus for learning aboutsustainability is largely downto teacher preference. WhileEducation and Library Boardguidance material9 is availableto help teachers to deliverEducation for SustainableDevelopment, to be fullyeffective, this needs to beextended to include the globaldimension. RSPB wouldwelcome acknowledgement ofthe global dimension in theSustainable DevelopmentImplementation Plan. Butguidance materials alone willnot ensure delivery – ESDGCwill need to be planned andresourced at the whole schoollevel and trainee and in-serviceteachers will require enhancedtraining on how to implementESDGC in the classroom.Furthermore, current flexibilityin the system may result inteachers who are not fullyengaged with the conceptallowing opportunities todeliver ESDGC to simply fallthrough the net. Education forSustainable Development andGlobal Citizenship is tooimportant an issue to permitthis to happen.

CASE STUDY


Antrim Primary School

Pupils from Antrim Primary Schoolhave been regular visitors to theCAFRE Greenmount Campus wherethey enthusiastically participate in anumber of curriculum-linked, outdoorenvironmental activities. First-handexperience of farming and thecountryside has enabled pupils tounderstand their heritage and whythe countryside is so important to us

all. P4 teachers Julie Mooney andMarian Davis commented, “So manychildren nowadays do not have first-hand experience of the countrysideand Greenmount is a wonderfuloutdoor classroom. It is great to seehow an awareness of the ‘WorldAround Us’ isinspired by theirvisit. This is thencontinued in theclassroom”.

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-based learning to life. Despitemodern technology, sophisticatedclassroom practice and complicatedlifestyles, there is no substitute for achild enjoying a sensory experiencein the natural world, and exploringour heritage and culture, hands-on.

A planned programme of out-of-classroom learning provides part ofthe foundation for a fulfilled life, towhich every child should have access.

Improved achievement for all

Out-of-classroom learning is alsocompletely socially inclusive.Evaluation of schemes targeted atchildren growing up in economicallydeprived areas has shown particularbenefits; suggesting that out-of-classroom experiences allow youngpeople who feel excluded to excelprecisely because the activities aretaking place outside the classroom11.Similar outcomes were found forthose with learning difficulties as well.

Residential trips help thedevelopment of young people’s socialskills12. Accompanying teachers alsonotice the improvement inrelationships between pupils andthemselves, feeding back to improvedlearning on return to the classroomand increased engagement fromthose who previously did notregularly participate.


� Ensure that all educational establishments and curricula fullyembrace sustainable developmentwith opportunities for learning about sustainability and biodiversity at their core.

� Ensure the delivery of existing Education for Sustainable Development requirements in therevised curricula (including regularly measuring its effectiveness – every 3 years) andalso adding to and strengtheningthe curriculum over future reviews

� Define an ‘excellent quality of education’, as prescribed in the Bain Review, as one that regularlyincludes out-of-classroom learningexperiences and global education,and is therefore measured by indicators reflecting these.

� Entitle every school child to at leastone annual opportunity to experience nature first hand beyond the school grounds as a key part of their learning and childhood

� Establish targets and include monitoring of out-of-classroom learning and global education as part of formal school inspections.


Out of Classroom Learning

Complementing the lessons learnt inthe classroom, and best practicesobserved in and around the schoolbuilding and grounds, a criticalcomponent of learning forsustainability is the integration of out-of-classroom learning.

Learning outside the classroom – realworld learning – is one of the mosteffective forms of education. Suchquality educational experiencesdeliver benefits including deeper andimproved learning across allcurriculum subjects. It broadenschildren’s outlook, and improves theirmotivation as well as their personaland inter-personal skills. In addition,research has shown that fieldworkcan improve long-term memory andenable higher-order learning10. Out-of-classroom learning also giveschildren a more powerful grasp andappreciation of, and confidence in,the natural environment. The RSPBbelieves that every child should beentitled to experience quality out-of-classroom learning in the naturalenvironment as an integral part oftheir education.

The habit of learning and an urge tofind out more is developed when wefeel inspired. The world outside theschool is richly inspiring, constantlyre-energising what takes place withinthe classroom. It is the source of allour learning – about our history, aboutour culture, about our place in thenatural world and our relationshipswith each other. This two-way flowcan be embedded in every child’seducation, entirely at ease within anyschool’s ethos.

The learning that takes place in thenatural and built environment can betruly inspirational. Teachers can thenharness this to bring curriculum

Inspiring

my work. In my current job I amworking with farmers to try to turnaround declines in birds, such aspeewits and yellowhammer, that wereonce common throughout NI. Had Inot been inspired at a young age byAnna Maud I don't think I would bedoing what I do today. Now, the smellof tea in a flask, and some dampsandwiches, is all it needs to take meback to those times and the beginningof my love for birds.

CASE STUDY

Anne-Marie McDevittAgri-environment Officer

The art teacher at St. Anne's PrimarySchool in Derry, Miss Anna MaudGallagher, ran a small bird club afterschool where we met to learn aboutsummer and autumn migrants andkleptoparasitism! As well as eveningmeetings and quizzes, we alsoexperienced the real thing! Once amonth Anna Maud, and varioushelpers, chaperoned our unruly bunchvia minibus to mudflats, woodlandand beaches throughout NI andnearby Donegal. So excited was I atthese trips that I couldn't sleep thenight before, trying to imagine whatShane's Castle, Blanket Nook orRathlin Island would be like! I havebeen working in bird conservationfor over 15 years now and really love

Protecting

The previous sections havedemonstrated how schoolscan have a positive impacton biodiversity and theenvironment through thedirect impact of theirbuildings and grounds, andhow learning outside theclassroom can inspire pupilsto care for the world aroundthem. However, sustainableschools have furtherbenefits on our sharedfuture in a number ofadditional, far-reaching,ways.

Creating a sense of place,nature, culture and historyfor young people leads togood citizenship andpolitical engagement,reduced crime andaggression, and improvedcommunity integration andsocial cohesion. In itself, andby fostering an interest inoutdoor activities, it alsohelps keep children fit andhealthy, physically andmentally.

CASE STUDY

Glenlola Collegiate School,Bangor.

Pupils from Glenlola Collegiatedemonstrated their local and globalconcerns by investigating and raisingawareness of their local Area ofSpecial Scientific Interest. Discoveringthat the ASSI at Ballymacormick Pointis a breeding site for migrating terns,widened their awareness of globalissues and the shared responsibilityto protect these birds both here in NIand in Ghana, their winter home.Through the production of acommunity information leaflet, byplacing articles in the local press,lobbying their local MLA andinvolving the whole school, from thecaretaker to the art department in acreative arts initiative, the pupilsdemonstrated positive action and

commitment to protecting their localand global environment.Head of Science Jacqui Milligancommented, “ the girls not onlyenjoyed this experience but learnedthat individuals taking action togethercan be a powerful voice to protectour environment”.

Sustainable Schools14

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Protecting individuals throughhealth benefits

Direct contact with nature fascinateschildren, and they increase theirphysical activity levels whenoutdoors. Physical activity is anessential element to combating publichealth problems. Out-of-classroomlearning can play a role in improvingpublic health and well being, andcombating the likelihood of futuregenerations becoming inactive andobese adults. In return, schoolworkand cognitive functioning areimproved by physical activity.

Recent research identifies strong linksbetween good physical and mentalhealth and understanding how toexperience the natural environment13.Wildlife-rich natural landscapes arethe best places to be physically active,especially where they are close tourban centres. Young people visitingthese to take part in easily accessible,healthy activities see this kind oflearning as a pleasure, not a chore.Time spent in the natural world alsopromotes a positive outlook on lifeand enhances our ability to cope withand recover from stress, illness andinjury.

Giving children and young people theopportunity to get out and explorethe world equips them with the skillsand enthusiasm to lead healthylifestyles. Out-of-classroom learningenables teachers to show childrenthat healthy living is about more thandoing sports; it can also be as simpleas a walk, looking at wildlife, orperhaps discovering how local foodis grown and how it is processed intothe meal on the table at home. In theRSPB vision for Sustainable Schools,out of classroom learning is notnecessarily something that occursaway from school, it is an integralpart of daily school life and learningfor living.

Protecting our Shared Futurethrough action

As well as the direct positive impacton the environment and biodiversityof schools being sustainable, thereare a variety of other benefits andopportunities to both the local andglobal environment and communities.On a large scale, young peoplelearning about sustainability andbeing inspired to act sustainablyenhance society’s ability tounderstand and deal withenvironmental and social challengesin the future, such as climate change.


Protecting

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CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

Methodist College Belfast

Students in the India Society atMethodist College Belfast raise fundsto help Asha, a communitydevelopment project in Delhi. Theschool sponsors a Children'sResource Centre and teachersworking with children in a slum ofover 40,000 people. The Centre hastransformed the lives of the childrenwith 98% now regularly attendingschool. Children are educated to fightfor their basic human rights andcourses in English and computerliteracy greatly enhance their jobopportunities. Not only do Methodypupils support the centre financially;each year a team of 15 students andteachers travels to India to work withthe children. Interaction between the

young people on either side of thepoverty divide has a very positiveimpact.

Dr Christine Burnett, the teacher whoset up the programme, said,"Involvement in this project gives ourstudents great insight into a range ofchallenging global issues and anopportunity to gain first handexperience that is invaluable in theirjourney to becoming responsible andactive global citizens".

local environment and understandhow to look after it, who have apractical grasp of our shared history,are far more likely to develop intoactive citizens in later life, giving andreceiving more from their communityand participating in democraticsociety16. In addition, learning outsidethe classroom makes an importantcontribution to building a knowledgeeconomy grounded in creativity andinquiry and helps provide an under-standing of the world around us.

Sustainable Schools

Protecting


� Train teachers, and the whole school workforce, in the skills needed to deliver Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (including out-of-classroom learning and the global dimension, and connectingthis to protecting our shared environment and future).

� Recognise that achieving a Government accreditation target of all schools being truly sustainable by 2020 would be a significant investment in developing the individuals, society,economy and environment of Northern Ireland; and reflect this in the requirements that should beconsidered for securing capital funding for new schools, or the refurbishment of school buildingsin existing schools.

� Acknowledge and promote the health benefits associated with contact with the natural environment

� Recognise and support the role that the proposals in this documentwill play in helping achieve:• the aim and shared vision of

OFMDFM’s ten year Strategy forChildren and Young People.

• the Vision and Strategic Objectives on Sustainable Communities and Governance in ‘First Steps Towards Sustainability’

Closer to home, connecting pupilswith their local communities can alsodistract young people from anti-socialbehaviour. For example, recentresearch found that where pupils feelresponsible for their environment,incidents of vandalism havedecreased14. Conversely, sustainableschools themselves can also be animportant resource to, and integralpart of, the local community15.

Research also shows that childrenwho have been introduced to their

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Eugene – Community Volunteer

Working to promote wetlandconservation in Co. Fermanagh, theLisnaskea Business Community andRSPB have developed a communitygarden at the local wildfowl centre.Previously the focus for vandalism,with the help of local volunteers, thesite has been transformed into awonderfully productive allotment thatis now the focus of care and pride.Community volunteer Eugene said "Ionly did it because you asked me tosave the garden from being wrecked,I am always used to being left out ofthings so I felt I couldn't let you down.Then when I saw the garden and sawwhat you were trying to do, I startedremembering stuff that my grandad

used to talk about like how in theolden days, when they wereworking in the fields, they could tellthe time by where the sun was in thesky and what the weather was goingto be like and other things. Then whenI saw the vegetables and all growing,it felt right to be doing somethinggood for somebody else."M

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References1. Diamond, J. 2006. Collapse. Penguin Books, London.2. First Steps Towards Sustainability. A Sustainable Development Strategy for

Northern Ireland. May 20063. A Positive Step. Northern Ireland – a Sustainable Development Implementation Plan.

Nov 2006. www.ofmdfm.gov.uk4. A Consultation on Schools for the Future: A Policy for Sustainable Schools.

www.deni.gov.uk5. Extended Schools: Schools, families, communities – working together.

Department of Education 2006. www.deni.gov.uk6. United Nations. 1987. “Report of the World Commission on Environment and

Development7. Target 50. A Positive Step. Northern Ireland – A sustainable Development

Implementation Plan Nov 2006. www.ofmdfm.gov.uk8. Further information and examples are available at

www.teachernett.gov.uk/sustainableschools/framework/framework_detail.cfmMore evidence of the benefits outlined in the Sustainable Development Commission’sreport Every Child’s Future Matters (August 2007) available atwww.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/ECFM_report.pdfA detailed study into the costs and benefits of such schools is presented inNational Review of Green Schools: Costs, Benefits, and Implications for Massachusetts;A Report for the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, November 2005, G. Kats, J. Perlman & S. Jamadagni.

9. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Good Practice Guide for Primary, Secondary and Special Schools. 2005. Interboard Education for Sustainable DevelopmentGroup. Curriculum Advisory and Support Group. (AKA Liz’s Document!)

10. Rickinson , M., Dillon, J., Teamey, K., Morris, M., Choi, M., Sanders, D., and Benefield,P. (2004) A Review of Research on Outdoor Learning, Shrewsbury, Field Studies Council.

11. Amos, R., and Reiss, M. (2004) FSC London Challenge Residentials, Pilot Evaluation April-July 2004, London, Institute of Education, University of London.

12. Rickinson et al (2004)13. Bird, W. (2004) Natural Fit: can green space and biodiversity increase levels of physical

activity?Bird, W. (2007) Natural Thinking: investigating the links between the natural environment,biodiversity and mental healthReports commissioned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, available at www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/policy/health

14. Ofsted (2003) Taking the first step forward… towards an education for sustainable development: good practice in primary and secondary schools. Her Majesty’s InspectorsReport 1658, London, Ofsted.

15. RDC (2005) Striking the Balance: toward a vision and principles for education in ruralNorthern Ireland: a rural proofing study. Cookstown, Northern Ireland Rural DevelopmentCouncil.

16. Peacock, A. (2006) Changing Minds: the lasting impact of school trips, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-schools-guardianship-changing_minds.pdf


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Sustainable Schools - rspb.org.uk · 8 Sustainable Schools Redefining Sustainable Schools - the Vision not enough at this time for Government to be content to set this as the target