According to OFSTED most schools are not teaching children about green issues in anything but a piecemeal way. Schools should be making the environment central to the curriculum and school life. The NUT says Ofsted’s findings are worrying but that an overcrowded timetable and over-emphasis on tests is to blame. The government describes sustainability as “a way of thinking about our lives and work – including our education system – that doesn’t destroy the planet”. In a report called Schools and Sustainability, A Climate for Change, Ofsted concluded:

“Most of the schools visited had limited knowledge of sustainability or related initiatives. Work on sustainability tended to be piecemeal and uncoordinated, often confined to extra-curricular activities and special events rather than being an integral part of the curriculum. Therefore, its impact tended to be short-lived and limited to small groups of pupils.”

However, teaching in lessons on environmental issues was “often good and sometimes outstanding”. Christine Gilbert said:

“The best schools are investing in their own long-term sustainability and making their buildings more environmentally friendly. However, too often sustainability is a peripheral issue. More schools need to make sure it is a key feature of their development plans.”