We are committed to supporting the United Nations 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development and the DfE’s aim of cutting carbon emissions and reaching net-zero by 2030, by achieving actions outlined in our Sustainability Charter.

 

To support the charter the trust has developed an Environmental Sustainability Plan to outline the strategy required to promote and support sustainability across the trust.

The plan outlines how we will promote an eco-friendly attitude and ensure the Trust is as sustainable as it can be.

 

There are several long and short-term goals within the plan, with an annual focus on 3 areas where we can make a big impact.

 

Sustainability focus areas for 2022/2023 are:

 

• Energy Management

Project to look at the energy usage across our schools.

We have already identified that the use of timers, solar panels, improving insulation and switching to LED lights, can have a big impact on energy usage.

 

• Food Waste

Work with contractors to ensure less waste and educate children on food waste.

 

• Healthy Living

Every school participates in the daily mile and staff encouraged to walk a daily mile or journey to work in a sustainable way

As a trust, we aim to achieve a million miles walked by the end of the year.

 

What the trust is already doing to become net zero

• Reviewing waste management contracts to improve recycling
• Switching to LED lighting in all schools
  • This project should cut electricity usage for lighting by 50%
• Refurbishing roofs to improve insulation and reduce energy usage
• Installing efficient boilers

 

231,549 KWh of electricity will be saved across the trust year year.

This reduces our carbon footprint by 54 tonnes of carbon a year = 1,728 trees, 7 acres of forest, 3 football pitches

 

Our actions to be more sustainable not only help to reduce our carbon footprint and help our planet, they also help to improve the learning environment for our children and staff.

Through combined purchasing and financial pooling we have made cost savings which are reinvested in capital projects to create and improve learning spaces. Capital projects include the North Worcester Primary Academy Pre-school extension, completed in January 2022 and the Little Cherries Pre-school classroom refurbishment at Cherry Orchard Primary School due for completion in July 2022.