APPENDIX 8
Memorandum from Andy Clark, Environmental
Co-ordinator Canon Burrows C of E Primary School
1. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
At present the issue of public understanding
and misunderstanding needs addressing as through this will come
more public engagement. As with many issues, healthy lifestyles,
better parenting etc. people do wish to do the right thing but
are not sure about how to go about it. It is therefore through
education that government can make the most worthwhile and powerful
impact.
2. A NATIONAL
STRATEGY IS
NEEDED
This must be introduced in a way that educational
institutions will undertake because it is seen as being beneficial
rather than being another imposition from government
Institutions and schools, such as Canon Burrows,
who are working to become sustainable, can be used as examples
of good practice. Institutions that are sustainable or are working
toward sustainability are often seen as being successful. In the
case of my own school we have improved performance year on year
for over three years. This co-insides with our becoming a Beacon
school, being awarded ECO school status three times and wining
numerous awards for our environmental work.
The school has an ECO Committee and a School
Council. Both these groups have direct impact on
school decisions. So crucially students have a voice,
effecting what happens in their school. This leads to a sense
of ownership and pride in their school. Thus in many circumstances
they perform well and the school becomes a successful institution.
H.I.M. Leszek Iwasko is compiling a report on
schools that are working in this way and I urge the committee
to refer to this.
3. EXISTING CAMPAIGNS
Whilst entertaining and imaginative these have
been scattergun in approach. It is not clear what the coherent
strategy is that lies behind them.
4. CONCLUSIONS
It would appear to me, as a primary school teacher,
that while Education for Sustainability is happening in some schools
successfully, in many others it is being taught in piecemeal fashion
or not at all. EfSD is more commonly found in primary schools
because here it can be more easily co-ordinated and staff have
found ways to deliver it through the existing curriculum. In most
instances successful schools delivering EfSD have an appointed
co-ordinator for the area and have supportive management team.
EfSD is viewed in these schools as being important and is seen
as helping the school succeed.
In many schools however EfSD is still seen as
an "add on" or extra activity, as such it is being neglected.
For EfSD to be incorporated into all schools its rational and
benefits must be clear. It is not enough to say we must be more
sustainable in our approach to help save the planet. Concrete
examples of the benefits of working sustainably must be used and
these must be relevant.
There needs to be examples of a commitment to
Sustainability though all levels National and Local Government.
L.E.A.'s and those who work for them, must take a lead in its
development and activily help schools in its implementation
Please contact me at the above address for further
details of how Canon Burrows is trying to implement Sustainable
Development
See Also Mark Rickinsons research document "Learners
and learning in environmental education: a critical review of
the evidence" Environmental Education Research, published
by NFER, Slough.
There will also be a user review published by
NFER later this year entitled "Making Research count in Education
for Sustainable Development" Both of these would be most
helpful to the inquiry.
February 2003
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