Schools across the UK are being celebrated for their outstanding efforts in reducing carbon emissions and driving sustainability, as part of a national movement towards a zero-carbon future.
Their efforts have been highlighted by the prestigious edie Award for NGO of the Year 2025, awarded to Ashden for its Let’s Go Zero campaign, which provides leadership in supporting schools to take bold climate action.
Alex Green, Head of Let’s Go Zero, commented:
“Ashden winning the edie Award for NGO of the Year is a testament to the incredible efforts of schools across the UK. Their work doesn’t just reduce emissions—it creates healthier, more resilient learning environments, inspires students, and builds a greener future for everyone. The movement is growing, and together, we’re making a lasting impact.”
The success of these schools highlights the urgent need for continued investment and support. As four out of seven key policy asks from Let’s Go Zero have already been delivered, the momentum for systemic change in sustainable education is stronger than ever.
Let’s Go Zero helps school grab top Ofsted score
A Nottinghamshire school has shown how joining Let’s Go Zero can enrich your curriculum, empower your pupils, and even boost your Ofsted rating.
Stanton Vale School has been rated ‘outstanding’ for personal development by Ofsted, and inspectors cited the school’s involvement in Let’s Go Zero as a reason for this achievement.
Ofsted highlighted their success, stating:
“Pupils access a wide set of coherently planned experiences that enrich the curriculum. Through these, pupils are encouraged to become healthy, responsible and active citizens… For example, [they] explore sustainability and complete research through participating in the ‘Let’s Go Zero’ project. As a result, pupils are more aware of their impact on the world around them.”
The school’s Headteacher, Emma Kehoe, said:
“Our school is deeply committed to sustainability and educating our pupils about the impact on our environment. We are delighted that this dedication was recognized in our recent Ofsted inspection. We are immensely grateful for the support from Let’s Go Zero, which has been instrumental across our school and Trust.”
£6,830 saved and 11 tonnes of carbon cut - how a school took control of their energy use
At Let’s Go Zero, we know that tackling energy waste is key to making schools zero carbon and saving money. That’s why our advisors work closely with schools to help them take meaningful action.
Luciana, one of our East of England advisors, recently supported a school that had started some energy-saving efforts but wasn’t consistently reducing consumption. With her guidance, they secured a funded place on Energy Sparks, giving them the tools to track and cut their energy use.
Luciana presented a set of recommendations, which the school committed to, including:
- Regularly monitoring energy use through platforms like Energy Sparks
- Setting the BMS/BEMS appropriately during evenings, weekends, and school holidays
- the site manager has been manually switching off the heating in the extension blocks
The results? Incredible savings in both energy and cost!
- Gas use reduced by 64% during the October half-term and Christmas holidays
- Electricity use cut by 41% over the same period
- 11 tonnes of carbon saved during Christmas 2024, vs. 2023
- £6,830 saved—with energy costs dropping from £10,600 in 2023 to £3,770 in 2024
This is a fantastic example of how small changes can lead to big impacts, for both the planet and school budgets. If your school wants to follow in their footsteps, get in touch and let’s make it happen!
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