On Saturday 11 March, a UK Schools Sustainability Network panel led a workshop on Sustainability and Climate in the Curriculum and Operations at the annual Association of School and College Leaders.

The UKSSN panellists represented different settings and roles, including a secondary (SEN) Headteacher, Assistant Head, School Business Manager, Sustainability Coordinator and recent school leaver, hailed from across our regional networks in Avon, Bedfordshire, Greater Mersey, London, North West Yorks & Humber. The panel members gave their perspectives on why and how to take a whole-school approach to sustainability and provided practical guidance covering sustainability strategies, carbon audits, governance, curriculum, co-curriculum, staff training, pupil voice and mental health. As well as our workshop, we were pleased to see a focus on sustainability throughout the conference, including a keynote session with youth climate activist Phoebe Hanson, a panel on Leadership for People and Planet with Emma Knights, head of the National Governance Association, and several relevant exhibition stands. We are seeing more and more regional and national education events now turning their attention to sustainability issues and encouraging this to become the norm.

UKSSN panel members:

• Dr Jessica Tipton, Head of Youth Networks Global Action Plan and Founder of UK Schools Sustainability Network
• Dr John Adam Patterson, Principal, St Vincent’s School for Sensory Impairment
• Paul Edmond, Chief Finance Officer, Heart Academies Trust
• Wendy Litherland, Assistant Headteacher/ Director of Enrichment and Sustainability, Accrington St Christopher’s CE High School and Sixth Form
• Mireille Digard, Trust Sustainability Lead / Teacher of MFL and PSHE, The Education Alliance
• Pim Sullivan-Tailyour, UKSSN alumna & Board member for Youth Voice & Empowerment
• Nathan, Year 13 UKSSN Board member for Diversity & Inclusion