Navigating Climate Change Education: Lessons from Toot Hill School
By Rachael Kenny, Head of Geography, Toot Hill School
As a Head of Geography, I share insights from six years of refining our Geography curriculum and the challenges faced in integrating climate change education. My blog reflects on the impact of the Climate Wise Schools professional development programme, highlighting the importance of wider engagement across my school and the role that all educators play in shaping a brighter future for our pupils.
As the Head of Geography at Toot Hill School, I am currently in my sixth year leading the department. Over this time, I have dedicated considerable effort to refining our curriculum to create a highly enriched learning experience for our pupils, emphasising the development of their cultural capital. Toot Hill School, with its substantial pupil body of nearly 2000 pupils, is a diverse and inclusive community.
In our Geography curriculum, we have consistently incorporated the topic of climate change. At A level, we cover this subject within both the Human and Physical strands, while at the GCSE level, it is integrated into the natural hazards unit. Although our teaching is somewhat constrained by the parameters set by exam boards for examination groups, we enjoy the flexibility in Key Stage 3 to deliver a cohesive and tailored curriculum that resonates with our pupils.
A key focus has always been to instil the values of sustainability and stewardship at the forefront of our geography curriculum. Despite being the most popular option at GCSE, I want every pupil, even those not pursuing Geography beyond Year 9, to have left our school with a fundamental understanding of how to leave the world in a better state than they found it. Consequently, our approach to structuring the Geography curriculum is guided by clear principles and values, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality curriculum for all our pupils.
I have always been mindful that our work on the curriculum is an ongoing process, and I love refining our curriculum to respond to our pupils’ needs. In Geography we have the ability to keep up to date with relevant current affairs and talk at length about topical issues which our pupils want to know about. As a result of this sometimes they are desperate to talk ‘Geography’ to us, they see us as their specialists, and they want us to fill the gaps in their curiosity. However, the constraints of time means that we don’t always have the time to acknowledge their curiosities or to empower pupils.
Thinking about this more deeply, the Climate Wise Schools professional development programme has really highlighted to me that there is a need to involve more people within our curriculum as we cannot leave learning about climate change to chance especially if our pupils want to know more. We need to involve more subject specialists, our leaders within schools, our pupils and our parents if we truly want to see a coherent and principled climate change education. I know that we also need to embed climate change more thoroughly within other topics we teach in Geography, but as a school we also need other subjects to acknowledge their role in teaching about climate change.
All staff play an important part in climate change education, we are all role models to our pupils and we must make sure we are not greenwashing through lessons and initiatives which we ourselves are not on board with or that have little long-term impact on our pupils. Understanding the existence of eco-anxiety is crucial for educators, especially considering the 2022 Children Household Survey, which revealed that 41% of children are very or quite worried about the environment. This awareness prompts us to approach climate change education with sensitivity and empathy and to extend learning beyond the classroom, recognising the broader impact and implications of climate change education in shaping informed and responsible citizens.
After my coaching sessions through the Climate Wise Schools programme, I've recognised that even small changes can have significant impacts. It's clear to me that I need a broader influence beyond my department and occasional survey questions at the end of the academic year. To create a truly holistic climate change curriculum, I must involve all staff, particularly school leaders, parents, and pastoral teams. By incorporating everyone's input, our school can better understand how to enhance our culture, address community concerns, and tailor the curriculum to meet their learning needs.
Teaching the future minds of our world is a profound privilege, and I've come to appreciate the transformative power educators hold in shaping their world through lessons and actions. Recognising the real urgency of climate change, we collectively bear the responsibility to contribute to a sustainable future through high-quality teaching, safeguarding the environment for generations to come. I extend my thanks to Climate Adapted Pathways for Education (CAPE), the Teacher Development Trust and Leeds Trinity University, and especially Heena and Leigh for delivering a comprehensive programme. It has been not only thoroughly enjoyable but also a source of genuine continuous professional development, enabling high-level discussions, knowledge sharing, and teamwork.
