By Tarina Chow, Executive Business Manager of a SEND-specialist MAT

This blog is part 3 of a three-part series. You can read parts 1 and 2 as follows:
Part 1 Sustainability: A practical guide for schools and college leaders
Part 2 Sustainability is a journey, not a destination 

Engaging pupils in sustainability is often the trickiest part for schools to master and certainly the hardest part for me to write about. Many trusts have asked us about this, and while there's no one-size-fits-all answer, we have discovered some innovative ways to bring sustainability to life in our SEND-specialist MAT. Here's how we've done it, and hopefully this will inspire you too. 

Monthly sustainability events
We have launched at the start of the academic year our sustainability calendar. I know I mentioned this in my last blog, but this gives our schools some key themes to work on each month, and next year we will change them up again so that we keep it interesting for our pupils.  Our sustainability leads are incredibly creative, ensuring there's something exciting happening in each school. From bird watching and volunteering to crop planting and recycling, we've kept the momentum going. Our latest initiative will be a ‘sustainable’ World Book Day where all costumes come from existing wardrobes - no new purchases or waste!

Engaging all ages
Catering to pupils aged from 2 to 19 is a challenge, but we've tapped into our teachers' expertise. In our EYFS department, we've embraced The Curiosity Approach. This not only brings real-world items to life but also reduces the need for large orders from suppliers (sorry, Espo!).  Instead of relying on modern plastic toys, The Curiosity Approach uses authentic, open-ended resources and recyclable curiosities. This helps our children engage with real-world items and fosters imagination.  

For our older students, one of our trust schools took recycling to a whole new level by visiting the local recycling centre. Pupils saw firsthand what happens to their waste and learned about innovative repurposing methods. We've also partnered with companies keen to showcase their climate action efforts, giving students a glimpse into potential green careers.

Let's Go Zero has highlighted that transport in special schools is a major carbon producer. While eliminating transport isn't feasible, our students have campaigned for more sustainable vehicles. Their voices are powerful and influential. Additionally, thermal imaging equipment has excited students about identifying heat loss in schools and taking action. Energy Sparks offers similar programmes, engaging students in energy use education.

With our oldest students, we are working on a rewilding exercise, aiming to reduce grounds maintenance. With free trees from the Woodland Trust, we're mapping them using the National Nature Park GIS tool. Community members are helping plant these trees, and pupils will name-tag them to track their growth. One of our schools entered a sustainability competition and won the OVO award from Let's Go Zero. We are really excited to see them develop their horticulture garden for sustainable vegetable growth develop into a business enterprise.

There are some inspiring horticultural groups out there such as Crop Clubs with passionate individuals who can help inspire the next generation of horticulturalists. 

Sustainability clubs and newsletters
Some of our sustainability leads run clubs to engage staff and pupils in various activities, sharing their progress through our trust’s sustainability newsletter. This not only encourages participation but also sparks healthy competition and idea-sharing among schools.

Final thoughts
I think successful engagement in sustainability comes from sharing ideas, by providing key themes and letting schools develop their own approaches. It's exciting to share insights with a passionate team and see the collective difference we can make. Keep sharing your ideas - together, we can inspire a sustainable future! Tarina will be one of our speakers at the ASCL Sustainability Conference 2025 on World Environment Day, 5 June 2025. Find out more about this event and book your place here.