This recent networking event, hosted by the Sustainable St Albans Schools Group, brought together sustainability leads from local schools and experts to discuss Sustainability Action Plans and collaboration opportunities. Here are the highlights for those leading sustainability efforts in schools.
Key Speakers and Initiatives
St Albans Greener Together: Energy and Transport Focus
Georgia Willits, Community Engagement Officer, and Nicola Ward, Project Officer at St Albans District Council, shared their vision of a district-wide sustainability network, focusing on reducing carbon emissions from energy and transport, and promoting collaboration and community involvement. Schools are encouraged to share their sustainability actions on their platform:- https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/st-albans-greener-together
Sustainability Plan Guidance from STAGS
Alison Keat, Sustainability Lead at STAGS, presented a model for creating a school sustainability plan. She suggested the key objectives of the plan might be: reaching net zero, creating resilience to climate change, ensuring a better environment for the upcoming and future generations, and driving for excellence in education and skills for a changing world. Key tips include enlisting help from all school members, selecting focus areas, setting achievable goals, making communication effective, planning around local and national eco events, and celebrating successes.
Her slides provide a useful roadmap:-https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MDcnLxdacV7gCsHUTuY0uYPKeF-7oz3gSh0_JzyRvHI/edit#slide=id.p
and STAGS’ recent eco-events show some great ideas:- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zceYdSxI5HMY2G_EV5YngJSmbWdu8lmBCAXWaDBB3Qc/edit#slide=id.g2e9ed8f4cb8_0_25
Support from St Albans District Council (SADC www.stalbans.gov.uk/sustainability)
Candice Luper from SADC highlighted practical support for schools:
- School Streets: Scheme to reduce traffic around school sites at drop-off/pick-up times. Contact robin.ray@stalbans.gov.uk
- Cycle Parking Funding: Financial support for creating more cycle parking at your school. Contact Robin Ray for details. robin.ray@stalbans.gov.uk
- Waste and Recycling Initiatives: Louise Palmer is the go-to person for assistance louise.palmer@stalbans.gov.uk
- Free Trees from the Woodland Trust: Schools can order trees for March delivery.
- Discounts on Period Products – scheme by WasteAware.
- Input and advice: Candice is available to help you develop your school’s climate and sustainability action plan. Contact her at sustainability@stalbans.gov.uk
Additional Resources
- Climate Ambassadors – Teachers and Schools Free advice from regional volunteers.
- Climate Action Advisors – Lets Go Zero Advisors available for one-on-one discussions about climate action plans. Contact Melanie Parr at melanie.parr@letsgozero.org and see her blog ‘Sustainability Planning? Let’s Get Started’!
- Sustainability Support for Education This digital hub is featured in Sustainable Schools’ next blog by Lizzie Insall.
Innovative Projects
- Composting Initiative: Vicky Gutteridge, founder of CIC Soil Squad, is piloting a composting scheme at Bernards Heath Juniors to make the school food waste neutral. Interested schools can contact Vicky soilsquaduk@gmail.com for more details.
Open Discussion
Attendees discussed tackling the attitude in schools to littering, with an example from Verulam School, where students have been assigned streets to keep clean. Sharing best practices and strategies to influence positive behaviour changes was a key focus.
Get Involved
Schools are encouraged to share their sustainability activities, from assemblies to events, on the Sustainable St Albans Greener Together platform, and with the Sustainable Schools Group. Let’s work together to create greener, more sustainable schools!
We will focus further on the support available to schools on their sustainability journey, and viewpoints from local schools at our next Sustainable Schools Networking on 4th February. The online termly Networking events are open to all Schools’ staff, particularly Sustainability Reps, governors and PTAs, and the wider District schools’ community.
For more information from the Sustainable Schools Group in St Albans District, including SustFest Schools Week, please sign up to our newsletter using the form on our Schools page here. We send out twice-termly District news and information on making your school more eco-friendly, and hold termly online networking sessions. The Sustainable St Albans Schools Group webpages have lots of useful information. If you are still in need of advice or support, Sustainable Schools will try to link you with an experienced school eco-rep in our District. Use the contact form on our main Sustainable Schools page.