The guidance is non-statutory, but the direction is clear, and it is worth understanding what a plan is actually meant to contain, because there is no set template and plans in the wild vary enormously.
The DfE sets out four pillars that a plan should cover.
Decarbonisation and net zero
measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the path to net zero. In practice this means knowing your baseline, setting a net zero date, and having real actions on energy efficiency, low-carbon heat and renewables.
Adaptation and resilience
preparing for the physical impacts of a changing climate, such as overheating, flooding and water stress. This is the pillar most often left out, and the one that will matter more each year.
Biodiversity and nature
protecting and enhancing nature in and around the site, from planting and wildlife spaces to taking part in the National Education Nature Park.
Climate education and green skills
helping pupils understand climate change and develop the skills a low-carbon economy will need. This is the pillar schools tend to do best.
Alongside the four pillars, the DfE is clear that plans work best when they are owned. That means a nominated sustainability lead, ideally with a small team spanning teaching, estates and leadership, and genuine engagement from senior leaders, governors and pupils. Leadership and continuity, so the plan survives a change of staff, matter as much as the content.
One point that reassures trusts: the DfE explicitly allows a plan to sit at trust level, at school level, or both. A trust-level plan is not a shortfall. What is worth watching is whether a single trust plan can reflect what differs between its schools, particularly the route to decarbonising heat and each site’s exposure to climate risk.
A credible plan does not need to be long. It needs to cover the four pillars honestly, be owned by someone with the authority to deliver, and be anchored to real data rather than good intentions.
How Nero can help
if you would like your plan checked against the DfE guidance, we review climate action plans, identify the gaps, and, where we hold the energy data, sense-check whether the plan’s decarbonisation ambitions match what the data shows.
To arrange a review, get in touch
