Welcome to the London Schools Eco-Network staff newsletter
Please do pass on to students as appropriate.
If you know of someone who would like to receive our round up LSEN updates, eco education news and activism news please ask them to get in touch with us via our new email address - info@lsen.co.uk
Our student members run the LSEN social media accounts - links are just below.
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Hello and welcome to this latest edition of the LSEN Newsletter!
Please also follow UK Schools Sustainability Network on Twitter @UKSchoolsSusty where you can also find handles for the other regional networks that have all set up in the past year based on the model of London Schools Eco-Network
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STUDENT COMPETITION!
Words & Pictures for Your World
Enter Planetary’s exclusive competition in partnership with the UK Schools Sustainability Network (“UKSSN”), supported by Global Action Plan, PPL PWR, Let’s Go Zero, NEU and Transform Our World and and ACE Working Group of YOUNGO
For more information visit here.
Deadline extended to 8th August and students may now enter independently or via their teacher!
There is a very exciting prize of a safari to the huge Sussex rewilding project Knepp and your work could feature alongside writing by famous rewilder and author Isabella Tree and the Young People’s Laureate!
Students may submit one entry, per category, per person.
Please send all entries by email to enter@planetaryinternational.com before
5pm on Sunday 8th August 2021,
with the phrase ‘COP26 Anthology Comp’
and your name, year group and category
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Your Planetary Needs You!
www.planetaryinternational.com
Planetary – sponsors and organisers of the above competition – would love to feature your school under our Discover section, so please send us a profile about where you are, what you are doing for the environment and who is involved. This is the template https://forms.gle/7VLSqGek3q861rGx8 or register your interest at info@planetaryinternational.com and we will get back to you. Planetary will put you on the map-literally. We will pinpoint your school on our Discover map as we work with UKSSN to build networks of eco-conscious schools around the UK.
Also, you need YOU.
Follow a simple sign-up process under our new YOU tab to find personal development articles, including guidance on writing CV’s and personal statements, and an aggregate listing of over 700 courses relating to the environment, with hyperlinks, at more than 100 HE universities and colleges. Full and part time courses that will help you develop your environmental skills and credentials as the UK moves inexorably towards a Green Transformation Economy.
It’s Your World, Your Future.
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HEADS UP!!
For programming into school INSETs from the autumn term onwards…
UK Schools Sustainability Network
CPD INSET Video on Climate/Sustainability for Secondary Staff
In development is a 45-minute pre-recorded video that schools can use in whole-school INSET days or circulate for independent viewing during the next academic year.
The video will have a positive, inspiring but honest introduction (similar to the BIG Climate Teach-In for MPs) for both teaching and non-teaching staff who are time poor and have other priorities.
There will be coverage of the Science (with AimHi), Emotions (with Thoughtbox), School Operations (with Let’s Go Zero) and Curriculum (with NEU), as well as voices of staff and students from our networks.
It will be available on YouTube with key resources and further CPD events listed underneath by mid-August (for running by senior management as necessary).
A sample ‘Staff Audit of Environmental Education’ will accompany the video for adapting for your own purposes.
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Recording of UKSSN-Project Drawdown-Lilly Platt
"Your Power to Implement Climate Solutions"
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The Ministry of Eco Education
The Ministry of Eco Education is a partnership of teachers, working to embed sustainability at the heart of education by bringing together the very best resources into one holistic curriculum. To help explain the project we created this video https://vimeo.com/566050328/c8d6517828
Having developed the initial curriculum with a handful of schools, we're now looking for pioneer schools to help build momentum around the primary curriculum launching in September.
When schools join they’ll be part of a movement of schools with sustainability at their core. Based around principles of enquiry, adventure, harmony and systems thinking the curriculum employs broad enquiry questions to frame the learning journey. The wider curriculum elements also signpost organisations and resources to help schools become a zero carbon school.
We understand the need for flexibility and appreciate schools might take part to varying degrees. As part of a reciprocal relationship, we’re keen to have involvement to craft and refine the curriculum so that all schools can benefit from the experience and innovation of schools.
I've included a supporting document which explains a little more about the curriculum and here is a link to the scoping report which forms the foundation of the curriculum. http://bit.ly/MinistryofEcoEducation
Please let me know if you'd like more information or have any questions. I'd be more than happy to present to your networks.
Many thanks!
Paul Turner
@geography_paul
https://geographypaul.com
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Invitation to online musical on Wed 14th July 2pm from new Liverpool network hub school
Dear Colleagues
Can we introduce ourselves as a new member of the network and future hub school for a new regional Liverpool eco-network (name tbc!) excited and eager to knowledge and ideas exchange with you all in taking climate ACTION in our communities …and together, beyond. St. Vincent's is a specialist school for Visual Impairment (VI) in Liverpool.
Please can we invite you to the 'Journey for Peace ' online musical on Wednesday 14th July at 2pm which sets the scene as to where we are directing our curriculum for and with VI young people as agents of change for climate action.
This project connects visually impaired (VI) young people around the world our VI pupils act as 'trainers of the trainers' in supporting their education using @sightbox a 'toolkit' for access to sports and education impacting on inclusion and health and wellbeing . VI pupils around the world have written songs around the key citizenship messages of love, hope, justice, friendship and peace as shared in the wider project by iconic Liverpool statues in a comic series developed by pupils. The project is supported by Yoko Ono which is quite exciting. The medium of music connects a message of investing in VI creativity we signpost towards conceptualising ideas for new Sightbox content………..it’s about innovation and design ideas for VI employment in challenge to high unemployment rates. Please join us on 14th July by clicking here and check out Sightbox. HOWEVER, we use the same curriculum input to fire creativity with our young people whose imaginations are limitless; quite literally seeing things differently their lived experience is an incredible strength. You may wish to help our enterprise element in buying a T shirt !!!
With the curriculum in mind, and the focus on employment and innovation….and climate action…..I would love your thoughts on the pupils’ video and ideas shared in this clip ‘ Reclaim the green reclaim the nature'. I ponder if we could make the carbon capture unit noted in the video together on 3D printers?? Anyone wish to collaborate??
Many thanks
Dr John Patterson
Principal, St Vincent’s
 
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Don't Forget To Have Your Say On The Networks!
The London Schools Eco-Network was founded by us in 2019 to bring together eco-committee reps from different schools and there are now similar networks around the country.
If you have been involved or would like to be next year, please complete the networks feedback form to help make the networks as useful as possible for everyone.
This is open to past, current & prospective student & staff members. It can be anonymous and takes only 5 minutes to complete – have your say as we plan for next year!
Deadline Friday 16 July!
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Let's get schools signed up to Let's Go Zero 2030
by the end of term!
Let's Go Zero 2030 is trying to get as many schools as possible signed up. Joining the campaign sets schools on the path to meeting the climate challenge and is something everyone - management, staff, students and school communities - can work together on, with access to the necessary resources.
Many LAs have declared climate emergencies - list here - and should be sympathetic.
For more information see the Lets Go Zero site or email neuclimatechangenetwork@gmail.com for model letters to employers and reps.
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Schools Climate Action Plan
Friends of the Earth has produced a climate action plan for schools and colleges. This contains 50 top tips for schools and colleges. These begin with (1) Declare a climate emergency and end with (50) Let students lead the way.
The tips are divided into sections such as transport, plastic waste, food, stationery, nature and energy. All these tips are good conversation starters within educational communities and could also be used to benchmark existing actions and developments.
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School Grounds
Learning Through Landscapes is hosting this year’s International School Grounds Alliance Conference in Stirling and online on 23rd and 24th September. LTL says the meeting will be Ideal for teachers, educators and design professionals as the conference will unite outdoor learning and school grounds experts from around the world. The link gives you a link to early-bird discounts!
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Nature Connection in Schools
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust’s Generation Wild programme plans to connect 45,000 children and their families to nature. This will include free school visits (including transport), free visits for families and a website to encourage continued nature-connection activity at school, at home and in local greenspaces.
The programme is now open to eligible schools, with places offered on a first-come-first-served basis. Eligibility criteria (based on % of pupils eligible for free school meals) vary across centres so go to the Generation Wild website to find your nearest centre and see if your school qualifies.
Click here for more details.
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A manifesto for environmental sustainability
New policy briefing
Following their first set of workshops with over 100 teachers, teacher educators and young people, the team behind BERA’s latest research commission are delighted to share a summary of findings in this policy brief.
In brief, policy-makers are called on to:
- Initiate a review of the secondary curriculum with teacher and student involvement.
- Hold schools to account for sustainability through existing frameworks and standards.
- Create an external accredited award scheme to value individual and collective efforts and environmental leadership.
- Enlist the endorsement of respected public figures to promote education for environmental sustainability.
The full illustrated manifesto will be launched on Monday 1st November at 5.00pm – details and registration will open soon.
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A Greener Curriculum
The Foundation for Education Development will be focusing on sustainability and education in future discussions, addressing questions around a greener curriculum, a sustainable infrastructure for school buildings, and the future impact of climate change and ambitions for net carbon provision across education.
It notes that a recent analysis by Global Action Plan which was released on Clean Air Day found that at least 25% of UK pupils attend schools where air pollution is over the World Health Organisation limit, and that an Estimated 3.4m children currently learn in unhealthy environments.
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Letters to the Earth Education Resources Released
Letters to the Earth is a global creative campaign and an award-winning book published by HarperCollins in response to the climate and ecological emergency. It invites people to write a letter to or from the Earth, future or past generations, other species or people in positions of power.
They have produced a set of educational toolkits for children aged 4-16, covering an introduction to climate change and the ecological crisis. The toolkits act as a stimulus for writing a Letter to the Earth and are designed to provoke an imaginative response in young people.
Young people are invited to send their letters in. They will be publishing them on their website and making sure they are amplified and seen by those in positions of power over the coming months in the run up to the next UN Climate Summit, 1st - 12th November 2021.
Your young people will be adding their voice to a global story, where messages for a better future are written and shared - inspiring new ways of living on our home planet.
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COP26 Opportunities
UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY)
The UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY) is an event under the banner of YOUNGO – The Official Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The conference takes place right before the annual UN Climate Change Conference, also known as Conference of the Parties (COP), in the same host country as the COP. COY serves as a space for capacity building and policy training, in order to prepare young people for their participation at COP.
Find out more here.
The Great Big Green Week - Youth Grant
Calling all inspiring young people working to tackle Climate Change!
The Great Big Green Week has teamed up with Virgin Media O2’s Together Fund to offer up to £5,000 to develop and amplify young people's work. The youth fund aims to support young people to take action on climate change, in particular, helping to get projects off the ground, and engaging local communities in these projects.
The fund is mostly aimed at projects led by young people (aged 16-25), but we will consider applications for adult-led projects that engage young people in climate change, particularly those that involve young people in the development of the project.
*** If pupils are interested in taking part in these, they must speak to a parent/guardian and check guidelines and age requirements.
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Here are some three fantastic graphics from Teach the Future
You can join Teach the Future's new Teacher Network
Join our Teacher Network
1) What are warming stripes? #Showyourstripes.
2) How do we drain the bath?
See how our actions can change outcomes in an interactive simulation here. For more on system's thinking see Kate Raworth's resources.
3) Where are we on the tree of life?
(Yep, right at the end. We rely on many other life forms. Citation: Daniel Dennett)
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London Schools Eco-Network Summer Challenge
How are you getting on?
Download a PDF here or an editable Powerpoint on Google docs for tailoring to your school or network!
Email ukssn@globalactionplan.org.uk or Tweet @UKSchoolsSusty with pictures or updates!
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Keep an eye out for the following UK Schools Sustainability news...
- UKSSN website will be going online soon...!!
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