What you need to know — clearly laid out, stress-free, and up to date for 2025
By September 2025, every school in England is expected to:
Appoint a Sustainability Lead
Have a live Climate Action Plan (CAP)
This applies to all settings: maintained schools, academies/MATs, independents, FE, and HE institutions. While the guidance is not statutory, it's a clear and firm DfE expectation that is already appearing in school development plans, audits, and trust strategy reviews.
The DfE’s official guidance page is the single source of truth for Climate Action Plan and Sustainability Lead requirements.
Key sources are listed at the end — bookmark this guide for future use, and if it’s been helpful, like or repost so others can benefit too.
This doesn't require appointing a new staff member. Many schools are nominating an existing colleague, ideally supported by a small working group. Best practice suggests involving:
Senior leader or governor for authority and continuity
Estates or operations lead for practical action
Teacher to link with the curriculum and student voice
It's recommended to add this as a standing item to SLT and governor agendas and ensure there is succession planning in case the lead changes role.
The strategy also promises carbon literacy training for leads by the end of 2025, and a growing ecosystem of support is available.
🛠️ Sustainability Support for Education – DfE-commissioned tools and templates
🌿 Climate Ambassadors – Volunteer experts to help shape and deliver your CAP
🦋 National Education Nature Park – Pupil projects, awards, and curriculum-linked activities
You aren't expected to do this alone, even if it sometimes feels that way.
A good CAP is practical, realistic, and shaped around the four DfE pillars:
Decarbonisation – Energy efficiency, emissions tracking, heating strategy
Adaptation & Resilience – Flood planning, overheating mitigation, water management
Environment & Biodiversity – Grounds use, pollinators, rewilding, student-led projects
Climate Education & Green Careers – Curriculum integration, student leadership, careers exposure
Each area should include a baseline, a target, actions, owners, and review dates. This can be done at a school or trust level. Many schools are now publishing their CAP after sign-off to boost transparency and engagement.
The DfE has highlighted three risks for schools: overheating, flooding, and water scarcity.
What this means in practice:
Map hot rooms and trial different uses on warm days.
Clear gutters and check gullies ahead of storms.
Review ventilation, insulation, and shading (trees, blinds, window films).
Consider water efficiency as part of your plan.
This isn't just about buildings; it also affects learning time, safeguarding, and wellbeing. The DfE’s June 2025 resilience briefings are worth reviewing.
New workplace waste laws came into force from 31 March 2025. Schools must:
Collect food waste separately
Separate core dry recyclables (paper/card, plastics, metals, glass)
Ensure bin layouts, signage, and waste contracts are compliant
These rules are part of the Environment Act 2021 and are now live, with no exceptions for schools. Check local authority briefings and update your CAP accordingly.
If your academy trust meets certain thresholds, it must comply with Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) rules.
You're in scope if you meet two of:
£36 million+ turnover
£18 million+ balance sheet total
250+ employees
And if your trust uses more than 40,000 kWh of energy in the reporting year.
If this applies, you'll need to report: total UK energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, emissions per pupil, energy-efficiency actions, methodology, and prior-year comparisons.
The DfE suggests using UK Government conversion factors and standards such as the GHG Protocol. Thresholds changed in 2025, so check the current size tests with your auditors.
Good Estate Management for Schools (GEMS) – Explains how to manage a safe, sustainable, and efficient estate, covering energy/water, governance, risk, and long-term planning.
DfE’s School Estate Management Standards (2025) – Published in June 2025, gives examples of “what good looks like” for strategy, H&S, sustainability, and carbon reduction.
Use these tools to shape your CAP and bring clarity to governors and SLT.
Expectations for sustainable procurement include:
Using DfE-approved environmental frameworks
Reducing single-use plastics
Considering supplier sustainability commitments
Aligning with waste and recycling reforms
If this isn't yet in your procurement policy, start weaving it in.
No big spend — just practical steps you can take this term:
Appoint your Sustainability Lead (and deputy) and add to SLT/governor cycle.
Form a small working group with reps from curriculum, estates, student voice, and finance.
Collect baseline data on energy usage, waste setup, and key climate risks.
Draft your first CAP — even one page is a start.
Review waste compliance under the new law.
Sense-check SECR thresholds with auditors.
Publish your CAP and brief key staff.
Review termly, refresh annually, and link to pupil projects.
These simple actions cost very little (or nothing beyond a bit of time) and are ideal for building momentum and showing impact.
🏫 Controls & Occupancy
Conduct a night-walk audit to find what's left on.
Adjust heating timers to match usage.
Use fewer rooms in evenings to cut heating.
💧 Water & Leaks
Take monthly meter readings to catch leaks.
Check taps and toilets termly.
Fit water butts (ask PTA or businesses).
♻️ Waste & Recycling
Audit bins for labels/placement.
Brief staff to avoid contamination.
Compost leaves for mulch.
🌳 Grounds & Biodiversity
Create no-mow areas to increase biodiversity and reduce mower use.
Introduce eco-friendly activities (bug hotels) in clubs to involve pupils.
Establish pupil-led planting beds for pollinators or produce.
🔌 Energy-Saving Upgrades
Add draught excluders.
Install PIR sensors for toilets/corridors.
Use timer switches/power strips to cut overnight use.
Fit tap/urinal shut-off valves.
🧑🤝🧑 Culture & Communication
Create a Sustainability Council with short monthly check-ins.
Add a five-minute slot to staff briefings.
Set up student patrols for a switch-off competition.
Choose a few, add owners, give dates, and you have a working plan.
If summer projects and day-to-day firefighting have delayed things, you're not alone. This guide is designed to make it manageable — no new hires, no new platform, just good people doing small things well, with a few nudges in the right direction.
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