How to
Guide
Through their learned and lived experiences from early years to further and higher education, we will provide opportunities to develop a broad knowledge and understanding of the importance of nature, sustainability and the causes and impact of climate change and to translate this knowledge into positive action and solutions.”
What is the Climate Curriculum Mapping Tool?
The Climate Curriculum Mapping Tool provides a complete ESD curriculum map for EYFS up to KS5 to be used in English schools. Sources include the National Curriculum for England, GCSE syllabi from AQA, Edexcel and OCR, Earth Warriors Global Climate Education Learning Standards, Leeds Development Education Centre Climate Curriculum Learning Outcomes and Teach the Future SOS, Tracked Changes Curriculum Documents.
The tool is made up of two parts, namely;
Part 1: Current curriculum:
Shows what is already covered in the English National Curriculum in terms of climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability.
Part 2: Ideal world curriculum content:
Explains what children need to learn in order to prepare them for future learning and employment in the context of UK government legislation to meet net-zero by 2050 and the UK commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
How can I use the tool?
Use Part 1
To identify opportunities to weave climate change, biodiversity and sustainability into your existing curriculum on a day to day basis. Part 1 is organised into separate Key Stage documents. Select the relevant Key stage and then look up the subject that you are planning. You will see both what is covered in the existing curriculum and opportunities linked to this.
Subject Planning Example:
Holly is a Teacher (Primary) planning a Design and Technology unit for Year 1. She selects the ‘Part 1, KS1’ document and uses the table to look up Design and Technology. Although ESD is not explicitly covered in the National Curriculum for this subject, responding to design criteria is included and this provides an opportunity to create sustainable design criteria such as to design a product made from recycled materials, for example, a desk tidy
Use Part 2
To self assess your whole school curriculum, at each stage, to reveal how well your
school is delivering ESD and levels of climate literacy compared to what research suggests
children should be taught. This can then be used as the basis for a curriculum review to
systematically weave climate change, biodiversity and sustainability into your curriculum across
the school.
Whole School Curriculum Development Example:
Helen is a Head Teacher (Secondary) who has identified that ESD is a key priority for the school in order to prepare students for participation in the green economy and society.
Helen gives her curriculum leaders the mapping tool ‘Part 2’, ‘KS3’, ‘KS4’ and ‘KS5’ and asks them to colour code the standards which are embedded and children know well (green), emerging good practice which should be shared (amber) and gaps which are not currently taught (red). The results of the audit show that ESD is generally embedded in science and geography, there are areas of emergent good practice in other subjects with key gaps identified in supporting young people with a range of strategies to cope with eco-anxiety.
The results were used in the following round of curriculum planning meetings to ensure that ESD is coherently planned and sequenced across all subjects. In addition, Helen tasked a pastoral leader to implement an eco-anxiety programme to be delivered in tutor group time.
Following the curriculum review, Helen was able to highlight as a strength to parents, governors and trustees how the school curriculum gives children the knowledge and skills for future learning and employment.
Hints and Tips
The mapping tool supports school level planning and curriculum development. The mapping tool itself does not include individual lesson plans.
If your students haven’t covered the standards for their year group or Key Stage, take a flexible approach and start with the standards for a younger year group or Key Stage and build up.
Definitions of Acronyms Used in the guide
ESD – Education for Sustainable Development
EYFS – Early Years Foundation Stage
KS – Key Stage
SDGs – Sustainable Development Goals
UN – United Nations
