Page 15 - Copy of Climate Change and Sustainability Education report

“They were doing pumpkins, they were carving them, using
them for decoration, and then they made soups out of them,
then composting them in the bins outside. They also used the
seeds to roast them, they used the onion peels from the soup to
do tie dying of the clothes and things, so it is a big feature,
actually, throughout the base, I'd say, but in key stage four
because it's acknowledged by the qualification that they
achieve, we obviously have to make sure that we're doing it
frequently then… And because it's so heavily focused on those
life skills, those practical life skills, and because we've got

such a good garden area as well …We’ve kind of been able to
make it a real sort of fundamental part of their curriculum."

Teachers link cooking to CCSE through ensuring all components of the fruit or vegetable
grown are used, teaching about the harmful effects of food waste. Educating learners on
food miles during cookery lessons has also been a useful tool for learners who understand
these concepts.

“Our children love cooking. They absolutely love it
and we do that in class but this is going to be
different because it's more based on natural
ingredients that have been purposely grown and
healthier eating. Lots of our children don’t like
healthy eating because of dietary needs and

because of sensory needs. So it'll be quite a nice
way, I think, once we've set it up properly to really
encourage them to try new things and it is a
sensory element to it as well.”

Recycling and Sustainability Initiatives: Some ALN settings use competitions as a way of
promoting sustainability throughout the school. For example, posters about litter-free
zones, recycling and looking after the environment have been created by classes and
voted on. The poster submissions are then used for displays throughout the school or on

their classroom doors. By giving the learners a sense of independence and responsibility to
make posters, they are more likely to follow the actions they are promoting and to discuss
them with their peers.

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