Sustainability Support Tailored to Early Years Settings

At Emneth Nursery School in Norfolk, developing a climate action plan with Let’s Go Zero has provided the clarity and confidence their staff needed. 

“Having an action plan in place has been incredibly helpful,” explains Claire Hooker, their Headteacher. “I initially spoke to Let’s Go Zero, and together we discussed possible priorities and began shaping the plan. We were keen to ensure that our goals were both achievable and sustainable, as we didn’t want anything to feel like a token gesture.” 

That emphasis on meaningful, long-term change runs through their approach. A sustainability group made up of enthusiastic team members drives the work, so they can share ideas and ensure responsibility doesn’t fall on just one person. 

Regular meetings with Nigel Stannett, their Climate Action Advisor, have been equally important. 

“Meeting each term has also been extremely valuable. These sessions give me the chance to reflect on our progress, seek advice, and draw on his knowledge and contacts to help move things forward.” 

Changes have been practical and grounded in their rural context. Milk is now sourced directly from a local farmer, strengthening community relationships and reducing food miles. The nursery is exploring using more local produce and hopes to establish a community growing area. They have introduced food waste bins, reduced paper towel use, limited unnecessary photocopying, created a sustainability shed to encourage reuse of materials, and launched healthier lunch initiatives to reduce packaging. 

It was important to Emneth Nursery for the children to be actively involved in the process too: “They took part in Switch Off Fortnight and still remind staff and parents to turn off lights when they’re not needed. They are also engaged in sorting food waste and are beginning to understand the reasons behind the choices we make.” 

Reflecting on the journey so far, their Headteacher concludes: 

“Overall, the plan — and the teamwork behind it — has helped us build momentum and embed sustainable habits across the nursery.” 

For the sister-sites Mary Paterson and Dorothy Gardner nursery schools in London, climate action is closely linked to their wider educational purpose, but it wasn’t until Sarah Jupe-Byrne, Head of School, reached out to Anna Orridge, their local Climate Action Advisor,  that their values became a structured and consistent approach. 

Sarah explains, “developing our climate action plan was both thorough and insightful. It helped us clearly understand where we were starting from and where we needed to develop. The regular support and check-ins kept us focused and accountable, and helped develop our intentions into meaningful action.” 

Both nurseries have achieved a great deal through adopting changes that range from behavioural, to reviewing how their site can be made more efficient. Sustainability leads are now in place in each nursery, with responsibilities embedded into performance management. Staff training has ensured that everyone feels informed and involved, and sustainability has been embedded into the School Improvement Plan to secure long-term commitment. Alongside this, there has been an effort to reduce paper use and increase use of recycled and natural materials, and active engagement with families around air quality and sustainable choices. 

There have also been substantial estate improvements through Westminster’s Green Schools project, including the installation of air source heat pumps and solar panels – changes that will lead to significant savings on their energy bills in addition to the substantial climate benefit. 

The final piece in the puzzle for the nurseries’ climate action work has focused on spotlighting the importance of outdoor learning and access to nature – something Sarah describes as “fundamental” for young learners. One of the first actions their Climate Action Advisor suggested for their plan was to engage with the National Education Nature Park programme, which they have since completed and been able to benefit from, even as urban sites in central London. 

Here are just a few of the projects Mary Paterson and Dorothy Gardner nursery schools have done: 

• Reviewed their curriculum to weave sustainability themes into circle times and everyday learning. The National Education Nature Park have a guide to the programme for EYFS that can support with this: https://www.educationnaturepark.org.uk/resource/eyfs-nature-park-guide  

• Created a flower bed on an accessible flat roof so children can grow fruit and vegetables — a project that has given them hands-on experience of caring for plants and understanding where food comes from. 

• They are in the process of rewilding parts of their garden, removing areas of concrete to create more natural, biodiverse play spaces. 

“If children are to care about the planet in the future, they first need to feel connected to it… We want to nurture thoughtful, capable and responsible young citizens. In early years, we are shaping values as much as learning, and we want sustainability to be part of everyday thinking for our children, families and staff.” – Sarah Jupe-Byrne, Head of School 

Like Mary Paterson and Dorothy Gardner, sustainability has long been part of the values underpinning Little Oaks Playschool in Suffolk. Michele, the Site Manager, explained that being located within a conservation area strengthens their sense of “responsibility to operate in a way that protects both children’s wellbeing and the planet they will inherit.” It was this commitment that led them to engage with the National Education Nature Park and Let’s Go Zero to further develop and structure their work.  

Children compost waste, feed the wormery, harvest produce, water plants with collected rainwater and spend time in rewilded areas observing insects and seasonal change. 

“The impact on our children and families has been profound because sustainability at Little Oaks is lived, not taught in isolation. Rather than discussing abstract climate concepts, children see life cycles unfold in front of them.” 

Becoming a registered setting with the National Education Nature Park has strengthened this work and enabled them to make use of the suite of free resources on offer. 

“Through habitat mapping and biodiversity tracking, we have been able to assess our outdoor provision more critically — identifying strengths, gaps and opportunities to improve. This evidence-based approach ensures that our sustainability journey is strategic rather than symbolic.” 

Working with Luciana Almeida, their Climate Action Advisor to measure their carbon footprint has also provided a useful framework: “It has been a valuable experience and allowed us to reflect on activities we can and cannot change.” 

Their advice to other nurseries reflects the steady, practical nature of their approach: 

“Start small. Sustainability is most powerful when it becomes part of daily routines rather than a one-off project… When sustainability is collaborative, it builds ownership and momentum.”