National Framework for Sustainable Schools

Sustainable Schools is a framework for school improvement that benefits pupils, communities and the environment. It offers a vision and a set of long-term improvement goals but does not prescribe how they are reached. We have brought together the right people and resources to help your school take action on each of the doorways, as well as examples of what other schools have achieved to give you some inspiration!

Traditionally the framework has focused on eight 'doorways' through which schools may choose to initate or extend their sustainable school activity. For example, it suggests how sustainable development can be embedded into whole-school management practices and provides practical guidance to help schools operate in a more sustainable way. Many of the doorways are interconnected and some projects will meet the criteria for more than one doorway.

• Food and drink
• Energy and water
• Travel and traffic
• Purchasing and waste
• Buildings and grounds
• Inclusion and participation
• Local well-being
• Global dimension

More information on what sustainable development is and its importance for schools, can be found on the Department for Education website. The National College for School Leadership is an advocate of sustainable schools and has some useful information, including 'what is a sustainable school?'