Funded by the DfE, Climate Ambassadors match volunteer climate experts with education settings.
Part of Let’s Go Zero, Climate Action Advisors are independent experts who offer free support for schools, colleges, and nurseries across England.
Seahaven Academy has strengthened and developed its Climate Action Plan (CAP) through student leadership, curriculum development, biodiversity projects and community partnerships.
What they did
Supported by Ouse Valley Climate Action and National Lottery funding, the school has embedded sustainability throughout school life.
Leadership and governance at every level strengthened their approach. Student Climate Ambassadors meet regularly each term to shape and deliver the school's climate action priorities, and discussions have been arranged with governors to explore their role in supporting sustainability goals.
See the highlights of a busy year of sustainability work at Seahaven Academy (.pdf).
The impact
Empowering student climate leaders
Student Climate Ambassadors played a central role in driving change across the school. During the year they:
- Participated in the Great Big Spring Clean alongside the local Newhaven Litterpickers group
- Organised a clothes swap event as part of a multicultural celebration, raising funds for partner charities in Ghana and donating clothing to local refugee support organisations
- Led Energy Sparks activities, helping Seahaven rise to second place in the South East region
- Prepared to attend a regional Youth Climate Summit, where they will share their achievements and collaborate with students from other secondary schools
In addition, all Year 7 students took part in the Young Green Briton Challenge, helping to broaden climate engagement beyond the ambassador group.
Collecting and monitoring environmental data
The school has participated in trust-wide travel and energy surveys to better understand and reduce its carbon footprint.
It’s also arranged for both dust and particulate monitors to be installed on site, to contribute data to local and national air quality monitoring initiatives.
Enhancing biodiversity
Biodiversity has been a major focus area for the school. Key activities include:
- Expanding the number of trees planted
- Planting new hedgerows and maintaining fruit trees established in previous years
- Weekly gardening club sessions supported by staff and volunteers
- Recording wildlife observations on the iNaturalist database to contribute to citizen science and inspire other schools through the Schools Ecolink network
- Monitoring swift boxes installed on-site, following sightings of swifts flying over the school
- Reviewing site maintenance and mowing regimes to create more wildlife-friendly spaces
The school's biodiversity work has gained wider recognition, with East Sussex County Council featuring Seahaven's activities in its schools newsletter.
Embedding sustainability across the curriculum
To better understand where environmental learning is already taking place, Seahaven surveyed staff to identify existing curriculum links and gather suggestions for further opportunities.
This has helped the school build a clearer picture of sustainability education across different subject areas and identify opportunities for growth.
Working towards Eco Schools accreditation
The school is currently completing its application for the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, recognising the breadth of environmental action taking place across the school community.
Top tips
If you’re looking to strengthen your climate action plan, you could:
- Establish a student climate or eco-ambassador group that meets regularly
- Map sustainability across the curriculum to identify strengths and gaps
- Engage governors in sustainability discussions and planning
- Use programmes like Energy Sparks to involve students in energy reduction initiatives
- Run simple community-focused events such as litter picks, clothes swaps or biodiversity projects
- Monitor and improve environmental data, such as travel patterns, energy use or air quality, to inform action
- Start with small biodiversity improvements, such as wildlife-friendly planting, reduced mowing areas or citizen science projects
Want to replicate Seahaven Academy's success?
Take a look at these recommended actions:
Develop a climate action plan
The DfE requires all education settings to have a climate action plan, mapping out how your setting will take action across all four climate pillars.
Explore local community support
Understand how your local authority can help you progress your sustainability goals and projects.