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For the past 4 years, United Learning has run a week-long, trust-wide initiative designed to drive engagement and shift habits on energy. This is part of their wider work and focus on sustainability (.pdf).
‘Turn it down, turn it off, shut it down’
What started as an awareness week has evolved into a key driver for United Learning’s overarching Energy Policy, proving that collective small actions lead to significant carbon savings.
It’s built upon the group’s Energy Policy which has a simple, catchy mantra that’s easy for people to remember and act on - ‘Turn it down, turn it off, shut it down’.
How the initiative works
Effective communication
The central sustainability team coordinates the campaign, but the message is delivered through multiple channels, to:
- Carbon Neutral champions in each school
- Headteachers, via the CEO’s weekly message
- Business Managers and site managers
Sharing tools and tips
The central team provide the tools for the schools to take part in the challenge, including:
- Introductory webinar including training on how to access meters, get energy data and quick win energy reduction tips
- Meter reading document - to capture daily energy meter readings
- Daily reminder emails themed around one action a day
A typical Energy Saving Week schedule:
- Wednesday: Switch off kick off
- Thursday: Find your phantom devices
- Friday: Turn off for the weekend
- Monday: Classroom challenge
- Tuesday: Turn it down Tuesday - turn heating down by 1-2 degrees centigrade
- Wednesday: End of electricity reduction challenge - take your final meter reading and submit it to the central team
Offering a cash prize
In 2024, United Learning introduced a £500 prize for the winning school.
Most winners have used this to fund an annual subscription to Energy Sparks, which helps them maintain their momentum and involve pupils in data-tracking year-round.
Evolving the challenge
After early success focusing on electricity, from 2026 they’ve introduced a separate category for gas.
While gas savings are often harder to achieve, they are where the bulk of a school’s carbon footprint lies. By celebrating both, United Learning encourages schools to look at their heating and boiler settings too.
The impact
By running a group-wide programme, United Learning has turned energy saving into a competitive, high-profile school activity.
- In 2026, United Learning saved 1,000 kWh of energy from the schools that participated in the challenge
- In 2025, United Learning saved 3,000 kWh of electricity from the schools that participated in the challenge. That's the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of a typical two bedroom house in the UK! Overall reduction across the group was 6.7%
The winning schools show how it’s possible to reduce energy year round, and create a habit-forming culture that lasts beyond a single week.
That's the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of a typical two bedroom house in the UK!
Top tips
- Set aside a week to kickstart a behaviour change programme. Do this consistently - it’ll take time to see the impact, so be patient!
- Take a look at what the winning schools did for inspiration
- Think about how to implement United Learning’s ‘Turn it down, turn it off, shut it down’ mantra at your own setting
Winners
- 2026: Hanwell Fields Primary school - reduced their electricity by 17% and won £500 to go towards energy saving measures (2025 winner)
- 2025: Parkside Community School reduced their consumption by 16%
- 2024: Hill View Primary School reduced their consumption by 16%
- 2023: Ashford Independent School reduced their consumption by 18%