St Mary’s Primary School’s journey toward sustainability began when they joined the government’s Net Zero Accelerator Pathfinder (NZAP) programme, now known as GB Energy Solar Partnership (GBESP), in November 2024. NZAP is a Department for Education funded initative to accelerate the decarbonisation of the school and college estate.
In just a few short months, the school has undergone a remarkable transformation, embracing sustainability at every level – from infrastructure changes to student-led initiatives that are having ripple effects throughout the school community.
18%
reduction in gas usage
£2,019
saved annually through Solar PV
After joining NZAP, one of the first steps was setting up an Eco Club with two students from every class designated as Eco Warriors. Each week, the Eco Warriors focus on one sustainability area without telling the other students. They secretly monitor classrooms throughout the week before revealing their focus during assembly. The class performing best receives “Stanley Bob” the polar bear mascot – a coveted prize that the whole school is very passionate about and has helped make sustainability a collective goal across the school community.
Ripple effects from the competition have already taken hold. Students regularly switch off unused lights, pick up litter and diligently check waste is being recycled correctly. The school reinforces these positive messages and behaviours through posters, leading pupils to encourage changes within their own homes and share learnings with their parents.
The wider school community are also joining the effort: compost bins have been donated to the school, and a new gardening club has been created with the help of the school’s pastoral worker and priest. The school has even created a dedicated sustainability section on their website, featuring updates on Eco Warrior activities complete with photos, helping to engage the wider community.
The combination of the NZAP pathfinder and support from Let’s Go Zero has been transformative for St Mary’s School. The structured approach of the NZAP workshops provided essential climate literacy education, while the personalized guidance from their Let’s Go Zero advisor, Jen, helped translate this knowledge into practical action.
This support proved particularly valuable in developing a comprehensive climate action plan tailored to the school’s specific circumstances.
“She helped us write our climate action plan and gave us so many different options. It was really good to see everything that we could do for sustainability but actually thinking about what’s durable for our school and our timeframe has been the most helpful,” added Ms Wood.
The Climate Action Plan has become a roadmap for continued progress, and the school has already ticked off huge number of actions, including appointing a sustainability governor.
Beyond the practical guidance, the NZAP programme provided critical infrastructure improvements through funding for solar panels and other energy-saving measures – tangible investments that will benefit the school for years to come. The Solar PV alone is estimated to save the school £2,019 annually. Other infrastructure improvements include installing LED lights and EV charge points.
Alongside this, behaviour change initiatives and control optimisation, which does not cost anything for the school to do, is expected to save the school an additional £249 annually. These initiatives have seen the gas usage reduce by 18% when comparing this year to last year.
When asked what the government could do to support school sustainability, Ms Wood’s answer was clear: “If all schools could be part of something like this, it would really help them. It’s made such a difference. I really understand the issue and why we need to change it. I’ve been supported through coming up with ideas on how to change things, and also the school’s been given resources that it needs to start the process off.”
With a term-by-term approach focusing on different sustainability pillars – from energy to waste to curriculum integration – St Mary’s has a clear roadmap for maintaining momentum and making sure they’re not trying to do too much at once.
Their experience demonstrates how the right support can transform a school community’s understanding and action on climate issues.
“Having the support of a Climate Action Advisor has been really, really helpful. Just somebody to help direct me down the right path. Any questions I’ve had, she’s always had the answers within a few days.”
Ms Wood, Sustainability Lead
Climate Action Advisors are experts, who offer free support for schools, colleges, and nurseries across England. We support schools to understand their carbon impact, make effective plans, and find funding and resources. We work with schools of any size, even those that are just starting their sustainability journey. We also spotlight local opportunities for how schools can work together.
Get in touch to find out how our Climate Action Advisors can start helping your school reach its climate goals today.
Let’s Go Zero is a campaign led by Ashden.
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