Early Years Climate Change Action Plan

Climate Change Action Plan

The UK Government’s education climate strategy encourages all education settings to show leadership on sustainability. Having a plan aligns with national guidance and prepares your setting for future environmental expectations and funding opportunities.

The sustainability and climate change strategy for education (Gov.uk published in 2023) states: “By 2025, all education settings will have nominated a sustainability lead and put in place a climate action plan”. This includes early years settings, schools, multi-academy trusts, colleges, and universities.

We are passionate about nurturing a love for the natural world and building a sustainable future. As part of our commitment to environmental responsibility, we have developed a Climate Action Plan tailored to early years education for all Early Years Settings and Schools to use which is fully editable.

Our plan focuses on five key areas:
Leadership and Governance – embedding sustainability in our values and decision-making
Teaching and Learning – exploring nature and climate through play and discovery
Estates and Operations – reducing waste, saving energy, and using eco-friendly resources
Engagement and Community – working with families and our wider community
Resilience and Adaptation – preparing our setting for the impacts of climate change

Through fun, hands-on experiences and simple everyday actions, we aim to inspire young children, support our staff, and involve families in making a positive difference. Together, we can help protect our planet for generations to come.

Having sustainability leadership and a climate action plan in an early years setting is important for several key reasons:

Protecting the Future for Our Children

Young children today will face the greatest impacts of climate change in their lifetimes. By taking action now, we help protect the planet they will grow up in — making sure it is cleaner, safer, and more resilient.

Building Environmental Awareness Early

Early childhood is a critical time to shape values, habits, and understanding. Teaching young children to care for the world around them lays the foundation for a lifetime of environmentally responsible behaviour.

Leading by Example

Sustainability leadership shows children, staff, and families that your setting takes climate issues seriously. When leaders model eco-friendly practices, it encourages the whole community to follow suit.

Turning Good Intentions into Action

A climate action plan ensures your efforts are not just ideas but clear, practical steps that lead to measurable change. It helps identify priorities, track progress, and celebrate success.

Engaging Families and Community

Climate action brings people together. It opens up opportunities for children, staff, and families to collaborate, learn, and make a difference beyond the setting — from home recycling to local planting projects.