SEEd Policy Forum, 29th January 2010

Posted: 17 February 2010

Friday 29th January saw SEEd run its first Policy Forum at Central Hall Westminster with the aim of exploring current policy issues and how they are affecting the schools sector an its work on sustainability, global and environmental issues. The forum was sponsored by DCSF, Defra and WWF-UK, and supported by DEA. Attendees were from NGOs, schools, government, academia, educators and trusts.

The morning included a keynote speech from Will Day, Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission, on ‘Global issues, development and education’, followed by a series of short talks from a variety of speakers from Defra, DCSF, academia, NUS and NGOs under three broad issue themes:

• Environment;
• Environmental Resources; and
• Behaviour Change and Learning.

After each theme participants were encouraged to consider the issues raised and how these would affect their work. Ideas and discussions were recorded for collection and feedback. SEEd will be using any appropriate ideas for its next annual plan and t developing a 5-year strategy.

The afternoon began with a talk from David Gardner, QCDA looking at ‘sustainable development opportunities in the 5-19 curriculum’. Delegates took part in an Open Space Technology session, where delegates suggested topics for discussion, broke up into these groups and then fed back their deliberations to the whole audience.  Discussion groups were formed around:

• Entitlement to Learning Outside the Classroom;
• Integrating Sustainability across the curriculum;
• S3 and Ofsted promoting Sustainable Schools;
• Transformational Learning;
• Getting Real; The reality of ESD in Secondary Schools; and
• The Footprint Friends project.

Feedback on the day was very positive – delegates found the wide variety and quality of speakers and topics stimulating, and valued the opportunity to discuss burning issues at length. Again the outcomes will support those in the sector with their ideas of what to focus on. In addition DCS/SDC is keen for the inputs from this day to inform their ESD 2010 conference in March in Liverpool. This is a policymakers conference with invitees from all devolved administrations in the UK and Eire sharing practice and thinking about their plans for the next 5 years of the UN Decade for ESD. It’s great to see that our experience and involvement in ESD is seen as an important aspect of policy making.

Policy Forum attendees will be emailed the Policy Forum Report and the outcomes from the afternoon’s discussions.

Members of SEEd can go online and continue the open dialogue on exploring current policy issues, how these affect the schools sector and its effect on sustainability, global and environmental issues. The Policy Forum was an excellent start to this ongoing dialogue and now is your chance to continue the discussion and engage with other SEEd members. The Members' Area is accessible with your Member login and password from the Policy Forum page. Go online and you can help develop the topics to be taken to the ESD Conference in March.

Download Speaker Presentations:

Building bridges between students' unions and schools through SD - Jamie Agombar (NUS)

Development and the Environment - Dr. Ruth Fuller (WWF-UK)

Sustainable Farming and Food - Jeremy Eppel (DEFRA)

Ecosystem Services: a breakthrough for ESD? - Jenneth Parker (University of Bristol & London South Bank)

Learning for/about Behaviour Change - Andrew Darnton

Understanding and influencing pro-environmental behaviour - Sara Eppel (Defra)