Creating Value In Schools
Creating Value In Schools

Sign In

or
Don't have an account? 

A benchmark for sustainability practices

CPD
Environment
Sustainability

Share:
X

Please enjoy this free content - for more Need To Know articles please consider a subscription

Top takeaway

The ISBL Sustainability Standards* provide a useful framework for objective setting and professional development for staff working in support and operational roles. They make climate action a vital part of running a successful school or trust.

*Note: you don’t need to be a paid ISBL member to download the standards, but you do need to register for an account if you don’t have one already.

More details

The sustainability standards are an attempt to establish clear expectations and best practice, giving schools of all types a benchmark and framework to work towards in this area. 

In line with the ISBL professional standards, the sustainability standards feature four practitioner levels:

  • Foundation Practitioner
  • Associate Practitioner
  • Lead Practitioner
  • Strategic Practitioner

They are also organised in relation to the same areas of discipline (operational leadership, finance, procurement, human resources, estate management, marketing and communications) to highlight how sustainability runs across all areas of a school or trust and different roles. 

Examples

For example, a foundation practitioner in estates management:

  • Complies with energy management policies and procedures, collects data to help minimise energy and water use, and minimises waste. 

Whereas a strategic practitioner in estates management:

  • Leads the development of energy, water and waste management strategies as part of the school or trust environmental sustainability strategy in line with best practice. 

A foundation practitioner in HR:

  • Administers systemic carbon literacy training throughout the school or trust.

A lead practitioner in HR:

  • Reviews the impact of CPD programmes to help ensure delivery of school or trust behaviour change aligned to the Climate Action Plan.

Questions for reflection and action

  • What sustainability responsibilities are contained within your role? Are these formalised e.g. incorporated into performance objectives, or professional development goals? If not, can you suggest this?
  • Do you see the sustainability standards as a useful tool for you and/or your colleagues? Will you share them with relevant colleagues? 
  • Does your setting have a named sustainability lead and climate action plan in place? Do you know the main objectives of the action plan? Can you find out?

Reading and resources

Share:
X

Other Need to Know Updates
Supporting generation catch-up
Yesterday
Achievement
Behaviour
Mental health
Wellbeing
How resilient is your estate strategy?
4 days ago
Estates
Sustainability
Reducing fraud risks in schools
8 days ago
Finance
Governance
What gets children and young people reading?
10 days ago
Reading
Teaching and learning
Climate change risks to schools
15 days ago
Environment
Estates
Sustainability
Getting ready for Ofsted
17 days ago
Ofsted
Governance
Leadership
Flexible working: a concise guide
22 days ago
Retention
Staffing
Wellbeing
AI training resources for schools
24 days ago
Artificial intelligence
CPD
Technology
How does poverty impact school life?
29 days ago
Attendance
Food
Pupil premium
Why invest in professional development?
31 days ago
CPD
School improvement
What is a circular economy?
35 days ago
Environment
Sustainability
Pupil engagement
39 days ago
Attendance
Behaviour
Inclusion
Wellbeing
School budgets and the spending review
43 days ago
Funding
Policy
Breaking down barriers to opportunity
45 days ago
Achievement
Pupil premium
Connecting mental health and attendance
50 days ago
Attendance
Mental health
Wellbeing
How to get people on board with fundraising
53 days ago
Funding
Income generation
How can schools save energy?
57 days ago
Estates
Sustainability
What's happening with SEND support in schools?
60 days ago
Funding
SEND
What's changing for early career teachers?
64 days ago
CPD
Staffing
How will RISE work?
66 days ago
Ofsted
School improvement
Effective estate management
71 days ago
Estates
Staffing
Sustainability
Digital strategy update
74 days ago
Technology
How to manage stress
77 days ago
Wellbeing
What next for NPQs?
80 days ago
CPD
How green is your school?
85 days ago
Environment
Sustainability
Making the most of your TAs
88 days ago
Staffing
Ready for simpler recycling?
92 days ago
Food
Sustainability
Teacher recruitment and retention
95 days ago
Recruitment
Retention
Staffing
What's happening with boys?
99 days ago
Achievement
Wellbeing
Taking care of your headteacher
102 days ago
Governance
Wellbeing
Curriculum review: what's planned?
106 days ago
Assessment
Curriculum
Non-graduate routes into teaching
109 days ago
CPD
Staffing
The case for auto-enrolment
113 days ago
Food
Pupil premium
Why does toothbrushing matter?
116 days ago
Health
Digging into attendance
120 days ago
Attendance
Honest conversations: a checklist
123 days ago
Leadership
Staffing
Reducing the distraction of mobile phones
127 days ago
Behaviour
Wellbeing
What is carbon literacy?
130 days ago
Environment
Sustainability
Decision-making checklist
134 days ago
Leadership
Effectiveness of mental health interventions
137 days ago
Wellbeing
Briefing: changes to Ofsted and accountability measures
142 days ago
Ofsted
Policy
School improvement
Using generative AI in schools
146 days ago
Artificial intelligence
Changes to school uniform policy
149 days ago
Policy
Uniform
Accountability measures and RISE consultation
152 days ago
Policy
School improvement
Ofsted consultation: what's proposed?
156 days ago
Ofsted
Why do breakfast clubs matter?
159 days ago
Food
Looking ahead: what can we expect from education policy in the upcoming year?
163 days ago
Policy
What's happening with AI in schools?
167 days ago
Artificial intelligence
Professional development opportunities for SBMs
170 days ago
CPD
How TAs are used in schools
173 days ago
SEND
Staffing
How effective is climate education currently?
176 days ago
Curriculum
Environment
Ofsted progress and upcoming consultation
179 days ago
Ofsted
Where will we find 6,500 teachers?
183 days ago
Recruitment
What's proposed in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill?
186 days ago
Policy
What are trusts doing to be more efficient in their business professional practice?
192 days ago
Finance
Procurement
Trusts
Reducing the impact of exclusions
202 days ago
Behaviour
How do teachers feel about their working life?
205 days ago
Retention
Wellbeing
Responses to financial pressures
208 days ago
Finance
How do we attract graduates into teaching?
211 days ago
Recruitment
Early adopters sought for free breakfast provision
217 days ago
Food
Funding
Proposed changes to children's social care
220 days ago
Safeguarding
Findings from the Teacher Wellbeing Index 2024
223 days ago
Wellbeing
What does sustainable governance look like?
226 days ago
Governance
An unsustainable SEN system?
228 days ago
Funding
SEND
How do we encourage more students into STEM study?
232 days ago
Careers
Curriculum
Teacher retention: are 30-something women at risk?
234 days ago
Retention
Education secretary priorities
238 days ago
Policy
SEND
Wellbeing
Would you open a nursery within your school?
240 days ago
Early years
Funding
Why does oracy matter?
242 days ago
Curriculum
Oracy
How much does a school meal cost?
246 days ago
Food
Funding
Resources to support effective use of the pupil premium
248 days ago
Pupil premium
Do you have a climate action plan in place?
249 days ago
Environment
Sustainability
Share your views on curriculum and assessment
252 days ago
Curriculum
What skills do your students need for future careers?
254 days ago
Careers
Financial sustainability top priority for trusts
255 days ago
Trusts
Finance
CPD
Is your school eligible for NPQ scholarship funding?
259 days ago
CPD
Finance
Understanding attendance - how you can make a difference
261 days ago
Attendance
A benchmark for sustainability practices on Creating Value In Schools