Powering the transition to zero carbon schools
Sustainable schools are essential to a faster, fairer zero carbon transition. And every week Let’s Go Zero helps more schools lower their emissions, build resilience to climate change, and become better places to learn or work.
You can see our campaign’s impact in classrooms, canteens and playing fields across the UK: in schools where energy use is falling, and solar panels are sparking into life. Where green spaces are thriving, and lunch menus are stuffed with planet-friendly food. Where scooting and cycling are up, and waste is down. Where climate action is a growing feature of school strategies, policies and lesson plans.
Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors are at the heart of our campaign. These wonderful experts give schools free support and guidance that’s practical, achievable and tailored to their needs. This creates healthier, happier schools – and budget savings too.
We’re also driving systemic change by working directly with government. Ministers have already acted on our policy recommendations – such as ensuring all education settings have a climate action plan and nominated sustainability lead. And we are a trusted partner in various government initiatives and pilot schemes.
In the years ahead we will support schools to prioritise high-impact measures such as modernising buildings, and generating clean energy on site. And we will seize on growing political momentum behind school sustainability to accelerate policy change.
Our country owes it to schools and young people to deliver more support, more progress and more ambition on this important issue.
Let’s Go Zero is the campaign for all schools, colleges and nurseries to be zero carbon by 2030. We bring support, guidance and opportunities to thousands of schools – representing more than two million young people.
Let’s Go Zero is a campaign from Ashden. Ashden’s mission is to showcase outstanding climate solutions, and to accelerate systemic change that unleashes their transformative potential. Ashden has been creating impact for 25 years, including more than 15 years supporting climate action in UK schools.
Let’s Go Zero was launched in 2020. Since 2023, our primary funder has been Green Future Investments Limited (GFIL). GFIL’s enthusiastic commitment has grown Let’s Go Zero to be the biggest, most impactful school sustainability movement in the UK.
Schools and universities create 36% of the UK’s public sector building emissions.
Our advisors have supported climate action at 3,419 schools.
We’ve helped schools deliver, or take steps towards, 82,477 tonnes of annual CO2 savings. That’s the same impact as 266,464 individual passenger flights between London and New York.
The Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors give free guidance and support to schools, colleges and nurseries across England.
Our regional teams of advisors help schools create achievable climate action plans, secure funding and deliver inspiring projects. Advisors offer remote consultations, in-person visits and online workshops reaching multiple schools.
Leading actions include supporting schools in measuring their carbon footprint, implementing immediate energy-saving solutions, and identifying quick wins for lasting impact. The advisors also help schools discover and bid for grants from government and other sources – staff are often unaware of the financial support that’s out there. And they help schools connect with new partners, from specialist local providers to community energy organisations that can spark on-site power generation.
Stathern Primary School, Leicestershire
boosted the number of children walking, scooting or cycling to school from 37% to 57%, by holding an active travel competition.
The Magdalen Church of England/Methodist Primary School, Lincolnshire tackled energy waste to save £448.39 on its monthly bill, compared with the previous year.
After tracking their energy use, Norfolk’s Thetford Academy made changes saving 11 tonnes of CO2 – and £6,830 on their annual bills.
East Bridgford St Peters CofE Primary, Midlands reduced electricity by 8% and gas by 10%, saving 6.55 tonnes of CO2 and £2,018 in just one year.
Hitchin Boys’ School, London created two new green spaces – a community garden and outdoor learning area – as well as a school gardening club.
All figures correct April 2025.
schools have joined Let’s Go Zero
2,519
schools have joined since September 2024
2 million
young people learn at Let’s Go Zero schools
767
school trusts work with Let’s Go Zero
311,000
staff members work at Let’s Go Zero schools
16,000
schools have heard the messages at the heart of our campaign
The actions we support are aligned to the Department for Education’s four key areas for school sustainability. In each priority area, our advisors are inspiring and supporting progress.
Department for Education priority area | Total school actions taken in this area, with support from our advisors | Total school actions planned for 2025, with support from our advisors |
Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency | 948 | 1151 |
Adaptation and Resilience | 67 | 482 |
Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure | 304 | 514 |
Climate Education, Green Skills and Careers | 106 | 239 |
3,899 schools have received support from our Climate Action Advisors. 489 of these have been helped to create their climate action plans, which means they’ve tracked their current emissions and designed a comprehensive roadmap for change.
With support from our advisors, schools have cut their emissions by an estimated* 13,610 tonnes CO2 equivalent. That’s the same impact as 150,612 petrol car journeys between London and Glasgow.
Carrying out the changes in their climate action plans will deliver further savings worth 68,867 tonnes CO2 equivalent.
£315,770 of extra grants secured for schools, beyond direct funding from Let’s Go Zero.
*estimates are based on typical carbon reductions from common school climate actions, and take account of the varying size of individual schools.
Let’s Go Zero works with government, civil society and the private sector to unlock nationwide funding and policy innovation.
We’re passionate about collaboration across projects, and help other stakeholders do the same – so that each initiative and partnership delivers unique value.
Let’s Go Zero is a key partner in the Department for Education’s Net Zero Accelerator Programme, playing a vital role in driving climate action across schools. In 2025, as part of a consortium, we are delivering intensive support to 25 ‘pathfinder’ schools, helping them lead by example in energy efficiency and renewable generation. This groundbreaking initiative is receiving national ministerial recognition for its impact in shaping the public sector retrofit landscape.
Our Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors work alongside sector experts to ensure that behaviour change, education, ac community engagement are fully integrated with financed retrofit projects — creating lasting, sustainable transformation across our education estates.
Let’s Go Zero has partnered with the Green Finance Institute on our Innovative Finance Project. The Green Finance Institute is an independent, non-partisan organisation and advisor to governments. It tests, demonstrates and scales the financial solutions needed to accelerate the transition to a net zero and nature positive economy.
The Innovative Finance Project is researching the current funding landscape for schools, and identifying the key barriers to investment in decarbonisation of the education estate. It aims to co-design financial solutions to mobilise capital at scale.
Ongoing workshops bring together key stakeholders from government and financial institutions. The project is exploring solutions including loan schemes, energy performance contracting, carbon credits and community energy financing, amongst others. The project is making recommendations to overcome barriers to implementation.
The Zero Carbon Fund has granted a total of £500,000 to five regional and national projects run by organisations carrying out innovative work with the power to lower emissions at multiple schools.
Schemes we supported include new digital tools to help staff and students measure and calculate carbon emissions, and to model potential responses. Our fund has also nurtured an education programme embedding sustainability in every aspect of school of life, fed on-site food growing and action on food waste, and helped young people lobby politicians for more urgent support on school decarbonisation.
“We hadn’t anticipated the support and expertise we’d receive from Let’s Go Zero… this has enriched our work, and the programme.”
Katie Eberstein, Our Schools, Our World, Zero Carbon Fund grantee
Let’s Go Zero works in partnership with leaders in education, the climate sector and beyond. Our key strategic partners include the Let’s Go Zero coalition. Together we share knowledge, resources and best practices, and campaign together for policy action and legislative change.
Grants nurture on-the-ground action
Let’s Go Zero has brought grants and in-kind support to 87 schools around the UK, helping them deliver their dream climate projects – from uniform swap shops to outdoor classrooms. Backed by partners IKEA and OVO Foundation, we’ve given schools prizes totalling £61,000, prioritising ideas focused on inclusivity and wider community engagement.
Rowley Hall Primary School in the West Midlands launched a ‘grow-your-own foodbank’, with vegetables delivered to older people living nearby.
London’s Christ the King Sixth Form turned a disused building into an eco hub, a dedicated learning space that is also shared with local community groups.
Northfleet Technology College in Kent got the buzz for beekeeping – with hives on-site, training for young people, and bee-related science projects on the curriculum.
In June 2024 we inspired schools up and down the UK with our Climate Action Countdown: a month of bite-sized challenges, from classroom activities to the Running Out of Time climate relay. 1,761 schools and organisations took part, with 87% saying they would probably or definitely take more climate action in the future as a result.
“The Climate Action Countdown was an outstanding opportunity for our school communities to come together and show leadership in the fight to reduce carbon emissions.”
Lee Hughes, Chief Operating Officer, Peterborough Diocese Education Trust
Let’s Go Zero has appeared in UK media more than 832 times. Coverage has ranged from news stories and features to opinion pieces – carried on print, digital and broadcast platforms. These media pieces have shared inspiring examples of school climate action, amplified our calls for policy innovation, and driven sign-ups to the campaign.
We’ve brought our message to high-profile outlets including BBC News, Newsround, Radio 5 Live, Sky News and Politics Home. We’ve also reached education leaders and decision makers with coverage in sector titles including Times Education Supplement, FT Schools, Schools Week, Education Business and Headteacher.
As Let’s Go Zero grows, we are seeking new partnerships with organisations sharing our vision – of schools at the heart of a zero carbon future.
Your backing will help us equip even more schools with the practical advice and tools they need to decarbonise; and it will power work with government to deliver the policies and funding that schools need to fulfil their ambitions.
To find out more contact Lucy Blackburn: lucy.blackburn@ashden.org
All content © 2025 Ashden. Registered office: The Peak, 3rd Floor 5 Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1AP Registered in England and Wales as a company limited by guarantee. Registered number: 05062574/ Charity number: 1104153
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