Exam and accountability pressures are holding schools back from making environmental sustainability a key feature of the curriculum, experts claimed today.

The British Educational Research Association (BERA) called for teaching about the environment to become a central feature of school inspections, the curriculum and other accountability measures.

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“A key message which emerged from the sessions was that in every part of the United Kingdom, barriers to change such as limited funding, lack of curriculum flexibility, exam pressure and lack of appropriate professional development in sustainability were holding schools back,” BERA said in a new manifesto published today.

Tes understands that the Department for Education is planning to launch a consultation on its new Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy during COP26, the UN’s global climate summit taking place in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November.

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The DfE’s sustainability strategy is likely to focus on four strategic aims - achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, resilience to climate change, improving the environment for future generations and ensuring that citizens are connected to nature. 

Solutions suggested in BERA’s Manifesto for Education for Environmental Sustainability, drawn up by education researchers from the University of York and King’s College London, include education policies that make sustainability a “key plank of inspections and school development plans”.

The manifesto also calls for a review of secondary school curricula, arguing that the environment must be part of all subjects.

Sustainability coordinators should lead individual schools towards a greener approach, while schools should focus on the environment both outside and inside the classroom - for example, by looking into how their food is sourced, or growing their own food, the manifesto says.

It will be launched at an event hosted by BERA today to coincide with the COP26 conference. 

The commission was led by Dr Lynda Dunlop, a senior lecturer in science education at the University of York, and Dr Elizabeth Rushton, who specialises in geography and science education at King’s College, London. 

Dr Rushton said: “Humanity faces a climate crisis, and education is needed to help the next generation to adapt and respond to challenges associated with global heating. In this study we set out to analyse where we are now with education for environmental sustainability, what change is needed and the barriers to this change.

“We found that education is not currently meeting the environmental sustainability needs of most young people.”

Dr Dunlop said: “Education has a key role to play in creating long-term responses to the social and environmental consequences of the climate crisis.

“We hope this manifesto, produced by teachers, young people and researchers, will stimulate action. Today we are calling for policymakers and education leaders to review sustainability in their organisations’ vision, strategy and practices.”