As schools across the country head back for the new academic year, Let’s Go Zero - the national campaign uniting more than 7,000 schools to become zero carbon - is calling on school leaders and staff to put climate action at the top of their to-do lists.
The Department for Education (DfE) has made it clear: by the end of 2025, every education setting in England should have a practical, holistic climate action plan in place. These plans will help schools cut emissions, save money on energy, and prepare for the growing impacts of climate change.
To make this achievable, Let’s Go Zero is offering free expert support from its network of Climate Action Advisors, who work with schools to create tailored action plans and guide them through funding, practical measures and community engagement. Schools are already feeling the effects of climate change - from heatwaves and flooding to rising energy and food bills. With expert support, schools are already making progress:
- More than 1,200 schools have created a Climate Action Plan with Let's Go Zero
- More than 5,500 have received support from a Climate Action Advisor
- Schools have saved 6,164 tonnes of CO2e and are expected to save another 45,990 tonnes of CO2e based on the actions they're putting into place as part of their Climate Action Plan that we helped to develop in partnership with them
- £1.6 million in funding has been unlocked to support schools’ climate ambitions
The DfE’s Climate Action framework calls on schools to develop plans across the following four pillars by the end of the year:
- Adaptation & resilience– preparing for climate impacts like heatwaves and flooding.
- Biodiversity– improving school grounds and connecting students to nature.
- Climate education & green careers– embedding sustainability into the curriculum and inspiring learners for the future.
- Decarbonisation– cutting emissions through energy efficiency, sustainable transport, and low-carbon choices.
Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors are already helping schools align their plans with these pillars, turning high-level policy into practical action in classrooms, corridors, canteens, and playgrounds.
A movement schools can join today
Let’s Go Zero is coordinated by the climate solutions charity Ashden with a proven record of supporting schools to reduce emissions, save money, and inspire students. It brings together UK schools, colleges, and nurseries that want to become zero carbon by 2030.
With more than 7190 schools, colleges and nurseries in the UK have signed up, Let’s Go Zero is building a nationwide movement that shows young people their voices matter and their schools can lead the way on climate action.
Alex Green, Head of Let’s Go Zero, says: “This back-to-school season is the moment for every headteacher and sustainability lead to get serious about climate action. The government has set the expectation - every school should have a plan in place by the end of 2025. But no school has to do this alone. Our Climate Action Advisors are already helping thousands of schools turn ambition into action, and we’re ready to help thousands more.”
Teachers who have worked with Let’s Go Zero Advisors say the support is transformative:
Newham - Tackling heat, energy and pollution: Central Park School in Newham, East London, is leading a green transformation with support from Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisor Holly Campbell.
“When Holly visited last summer, we found our playground tarmac was over 40°C – on a 27-degree day,” says Shannon Griffin, Year 5 teacher and sustainability lead.
“Without shade, children overheat and struggle to learn.” To tackle this, the school planted nine new trees in its once-bare playground.
“They’ve transformed the space. They’re full of foliage and flowers – the children are thrilled, and visitors constantly comment on the change.”
This work is vital in Newham, where urban areas are heating 29% faster than rural ones due to the Urban Heat Island effect. Inspired, Shannon has expanded the school’s climate action plan – introducing School Streets, water-saving measures, food sustainability projects, recycling, and new initiatives such as composting, a green wall, birdhouses and staff carpooling.
Ms Griffin says the Let’s Go Zero programme gave her the structure and momentum she needed. “Doing an audit and writing it down made a huge difference,” she said.
“Holly brought it all together — giving us ideas, helping with funding, and offering real guidance. Without that, it would’ve been so much harder.”
Ahead of the game in Leicestershire, Karen Lambert, Head of Stathern School in Melton Mowbray Leicestershire, also had the support of a Climate Action Advisor to create a climate action plan earlier this year.
She says: "We made progress quite quickly over a few months. Our Climate Action Advisor Jelly Moring went through our carbon footprint with us – things like how draughts from our windows and doors were leading to higher energy usage. This led me to write sustainability into our three-year development plan. It felt timely and good - I know the government want us to have a climate action plan in 2025 and I like to be on the front foot.”
Energy drop for Midlands Multi Academy Trust: In Coventry and Warwickshire, Will Keddie, Sustainability Lead for the Finham Park Multi-Academy Trust of eight schools, and Head of Finham Park 2* secondary school, is full of praise for Let's Go Zero, which helped them conduct an energy audit and use monitoring tools, triggering a drop of up to 14% in Finham Park 2’s energy use and related fuel costs in the second term of taking action - reducing C02 emissions by 25 per cent too. The rest of the schools in the Multi-Academy Trust are now following suit.
3 quick steps to start your school’s climate action plan:
- Sign up to Let’s Go Zero
Join the 7,000+ schools already taking action. It’s free and shows your community you’re committed to climate action. - Book a Climate Action Advisor
Get one-to-one expert support to create your school’s plan, tailored to your needs - from energy and transport to curriculum and nature. - Take your first action
Start small and build momentum. Whether it’s a uniform swap, energy audit, or planting for biodiversity, every action adds up.
You can find out more and get started at letsgozero.org.
