In our desire to establish sound habits for life, we constantly look for opportunities to integrate sustainability into our everyday teaching. For example many of our science topics readily lend themselves to learning about renewable/non renewable energy sources, pollution, living healthy lifestyles and accelerated changes in World Climate , with suggestions regarding how we can help.
In 2007 we became part of the Climate Change Schools Project (CCSP) โ a groundbreaking initiative lead by Dr Krista McKinzey of Durham University. The project combined the expertise of a wide range of interested staff both from the University and North East schools to create teaching materials to be used in schools and ideally integrated into the school curriculum. Two Edmondsley staff were involved in creating a broad bank of teaching materials with an emphasis on delivering them through different subject areas in an innovative and dynamic way. Climate change science, climate change and the media, indicators of climate change, climate change impacts, climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation are all areas considered in the teaching materials.
During our involvement with the CCSP some of our children were interviewed by the Times Educational Supplement regarding their Global Awareness and were featured in the magazine.
The introduction of the New National Curriculum (summer 2014) provided the opportunity for Edmondsley staff to reconsider how to develop Eco Awareness/Climate Change teaching through a range of other subjects, including science, geography, mathematics, art and design.
Although funding for the original CCSP has come to an end, its fundamental ideas are embedded in our curriculum and we continue to encourage sound everyday habits in our pupils.