Eco Rewards is a free active travel platform that rewards you the more you cycle and walk. These include discounts and cash-back from well known online retailers.
Climate change and schools
We have included links to organisations to give you options to consider. This does not mean we are endorsing the organisation – you should do your own due diligence before making any decisions.
Getting to school
Transport creates the largest amount of carbon emissions in Bracknell Forest.
We encourage all residents to make greener choices when travelling to school. Trains and buses produce fewer CO2 emissions than an average petrol car. Greenhouse gas reporting on GOV.UK compares different types of transport, which can help you to make greener choices.
We offer a variety of ways to get involved in greener travel. You can encourage students and staff to use the following:
Eco Rewards
Love to Ride
Love to Ride is a free active travel platform for cycling where you can share rides, win prizes and learn more about cycling routes in the area.
My Journey
My Journey is a one stop destination for all travel information in Bracknell Forest in. It includes walking, cycling, buses, trains, driving and community travel.
The following schemes and organisations can help you to make an impact at school:
Walk to School Week
During Walk to School Week, pupils work together to make as many active journeys as possible. They can track their progress on a fun and interactive classroom wallchart.
Walking the School Run
Walking the School Run encourages children to walk to school and get the benefits of improved health and opportunities to socialise. Plus, it's much kinder to the environment too.
Bikeability training
Bikeability training is for children who are over 10 years old. The training encourages safe cycling by improving skills, knowledge and attitudes, and improving behaviour and hazard awareness.
Inside the classroom
The government have a target to deliver a world leading climate change education through the science curriculum by 2023. This will include the introduction of a natural history GCSE by 2025.
Climate change and environment are high on the agenda and resources to teach this will be increasingly important.
See below for useful teaching resources. They cover a wide range of diverse topics such as plastic pollution, food security, carbon emissions and energy management.
Primary school resources
Climate change, sustainability and environment
- Earth Cubs - an environmental learning platform for primary schools
- Better Planet Schools - an online education programme from Young People's Trust for the Environment
- NASA Climate Kids
- The Look Out
Food in school
Environment and nature
Secondary school resources
Climate, sustainability and the environment
Nature and outdoors
Resources for all
Climate, sustainability and environment
Food security
Nature and outdoors
Weather and climate
Across the school
Schools play a key role in cutting carbon levels in the UK. Let's Go Zero say schools have the potential to prevent 625,000 tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere.
Reducing waste, reusing and recycling can help minimise the consequences of climate change by saving energy, reducing emissions and making better use of natural resources. The choice of material and the way we dispose of it significantly impacts our carbon emissions.
Managing energy can also play a significant role in reducing emissions and costs.
Below are some ways to manage your waste and energy use.
More information
Reducing waste
Here are some suggestions on how your school can reduce waste:
- provide different types of bins for different types of waste
- composting, promoting waste free lunches and eliminating plastic water bottles
- organise litter picking - become a Keep Britain Tidy #LitterHero
- use Reschool to upcycle unused classroom equipment
- use the community recycle scheme from A&S Landscape to get free equipment instead of buying new
- become a TerraCycle collection point
- sign up to Return A Toner to recycle empty printer cartridges
- set up a reuse and recycle scheme for school uniforms
- contact our customer services team on 01344 352000 to arrange a council led classroom talk on recycling
Saving energy
Suggestions for saving energy:
- switch off computer monitors and screens when not in use
- set timers for lights and radiators, use your building management system to make sure they are off outside school hours
- engage students with the challenge - appoint an 'energy champion' responsible for turning lights and appliances off
Renewable energy projects and retrofitting
Ideas for energy saving projects and retrofitting suggestions:
- switch to a renewable energy supplier
- install solar panels, double or triple glazed windows and doors
- change to a renewable source heat pump and improve insulation
Eco Schools
Eco Schools empower students and raise awareness of climate change across schools in the UK. Their programme educates on climate issues, improve the school environment and helps find ways to save money.
Berkshire Schools Eco Network
Berkshire Schools Eco Network bring together schools, local authorities and environmental groups to talk about climate change and biodiversity. The group regularly meets online.
Let's Go Zero 2030
Let's Go Zero 2030 unites schools working to become carbon zero by 2030. They help schools to connect, share and act on climate change. They believe that by transforming our schools, we can help safeguard the planet.
School climate projects
Schools across the borough are taking part in a range of climate projects. Find out what they have been doing.
Bracknell Forest's first student climate change conference
In 2022, students from the borough’s secondary schools attended a climate change conference. They took part in a workshop run by Design Nature and were assisted in developing a school action plan.
Secondary schools awarded £500 for climate change projects
In recognition of student’s hard work following the climate change conference, secondary schools in Bracknell Forest were awarded £500. This was to help them to achieve their climate change goals.
Climate change initiative
Join our climate change initiative if you live or work in the borough and would like to:
- work together to share best practice in the field
- influence the borough’s climate initiatives
- co-operate on joint projects