Representatives of more than 60 local schools attended a conference at Leeds Trinity’s City Campus last week to hear Leigh Hoath, a Professor of Science Education, explain the need for expert-led climate change education practices to be implemented across teaching, curricula, and governance. 

Professor Hoath, a co-founder of the Climate Adapted Pathways for Education (CAPE), said: “We are in a climate crisis, and we need to do something about it. When a child is upset or anxious, we naturally would want to reassure them that it would all be fine. But we can’t tell them that lie. We should instead recognise that it is a serious issue and then talk about what we can do. 

“We need to be realistic about it and avoid giving our children and young people false hope. What I would urge teachers and school staff to think about is constructive hope, building on what our children and young people know and can do.”  

An experienced science teacher, Professor Hoath has also urged schools to look beyond token activities and embed meaningful, evidence-based climate education across their curriculum, leadership structures, and culture. 

Professor Hoath said. “We have limited resources, children’s needs are diverse and the science behind climate change education is hard, so many teachers lack the confidence to embed it in their practice.   

“Teaching outside, planting trees, recycling, and litter picking are not climate change education. They are important actions that empower our children and young people but not necessarily teaching them about climate change. 

“Instead, climate change education must be context and place specific, focused on skills and confidence of teachers, and embedded in the curriculum in a meaningful way. This is why we need more evidence-based training for teaching staff, and to take a whole-school approach that is tailored to the needs and challenges of each setting. 

“To succeed, we need a robust implementation that will still stand in ten years’ time and respond to the challenges we face.” 

The momentum for change has never been clearer. In the Government’s latest Curriculum and Assessment Review, climate change is mentioned 62 times, as opposed to 50 mentions of “reading” and 35 mentions of “writing”.  

At the conference, the school representatives engaged in expert-led curriculum, governance and finance workshops, and heard from pupils at Leeds City Academy, who shared their concerns during a plenary session, allowing them to influence key takeaways and inform approaches going forward. The youth voice session reflected a growing concern recently demonstrated in an international survey published in The Lancet which showed 84% of young people reported feeling worried about climate change, with 56% feeling “powerless” and 51% feeling “helpless”. 

Councillor Katie Dye, Chair of Climate Emergency Advisory Committee at Leeds City Council, added: “The conference was a great opportunity to look at best practices in climate change education and assist schools to take action where necessary, in line with the climate strand of our Leeds Ambitions. Climate change affects all of us, which is why it’s so important that we all come together to address its challenges and ask ourselves how we can co-create our practices, design an inspiring curriculum, improve our buildings, and seize every opportunity to do better.”