Tag: safeguarding

Infographic showing key findings on environmental impact: 40% transport, 27% energy, 32% food, 72% scope 3 emissions, under 1% water/waste, over a blurred image of children outdoors.

Schools are not neutral: What school carbon data reveals about responsibility, modelling, and care

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

Part 3 of the "This Isn't Activism: It's a Duty of Care" series discusses the findings of the Count Your Carbon 2026 report, which analyses carbon emissions from over 1,600 schools in England. It reveals that structural decisions, such as transportation and food sourcing, significantly contribute to school emissions, often beyond children’s control. I emphasise that framing climate responsibility on students is misleading and may lead to emotional burdens, and so there is a need for institutional honesty and alignment of actions with the realities of carbon impact to support safeguarding rather than shifting blame onto young people.

A bar chart shows that most children and young people in England agree that being in nature makes them happy, with 40% completely agreeing and 29% strongly agreeing.

Children already know this matters: What Natural England’s Survey tells us about wellbeing, inequality, and care

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

Part 2 of the "This Isn't Activism: It's a Duty of Care" series on climate education. I look at the importance of understanding children's experiences and relationships with nature as revealed in the Children’s People and Nature Survey for England, highlighting that most children feel happy in nature, but access to it is uneven, influenced by factors like income and ethnicity. Safeguarding frameworks need to account for these inequalities, as children’s emotional connections to nature exist before climate-related concerns. Educators should approach these topics with care, awareness, and honesty rather than avoidance or panic.

This isn’t activism, it’s duty of care: What three recent reports tell us about climate change, young people, and responsibility in education

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

The start of a series of blog posts focusing on climate literacy and institutional responsibility, examining the complex issues children face. By analysing recent reports, the series aims to slow down the conversation and emphasise professional duties toward young people's wellbeing. It will challenge existing narratives and explore safeguarding implications.

Curriculum Reform, Climate Literacy & Safeguarding: Decolonising What We Teach (and Why) in Light of the DfE Review

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

The Department for Education's Curriculum and Assessment Review outlines potential educational reforms by 2028. While improvements are noted, significant gaps remain in curriculum time and assessment for climate education. Action steps for school leaders to mitigate shortfalls include embedding climate education into policies, assessing decolonial practices, and enhancing teacher training. A free subscription is required to read this post.

Drake Primary School’s Climate Journey: A Success Story

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

Drake Primary shows how climate action and safeguarding can work hand-in-hand. From energy audits to outdoor learning and eco-anxiety support, their journey proves sustainability isn’t an add-on—it’s a mindset. Here’s what schools can learn from their whole-school approach.

Beyond the Chalkface: Geography Teachers as Leaders in the Climate Crisis Era

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

The climate crisis is a safeguarding issue. Geography teachers are on the front line. My new chapter in 'What is Geography Teaching, Now?' is out now. I explore how we can move beyond teaching dire facts to become storytellers and enablers for a generation facing eco-anxiety. Discover the simple language shift that empowers students and explore my free interactive framework for building climate literacy.

Empowering Schools: Linking Climate Action to Safeguarding

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

I have long demonstrated that climate change should be included in school safeguarding policies, as it impacts children's well-being and education. As the East of England's Regional Hub Manager for the Climate Ambassadors scheme, I have began to assist schools in making safeguarding policies climate literate. Recent work with the Halcyon Federation focused on integrating climate action into safeguarding measures. Read how we got there.

Creative, sensitive and grounded in diverse perspectives: Why we need inclusive climate change education

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

This article was co-authored with Catherine Walker and Nerida Jolley. You can read the introduction here, and then continue with the rest of the article, for free, via the University of Manchester's website here. One of Maisy Summer’s beautiful images for the YPAC creative book How can climate change education address rather than exacerbate eco-anxiety, … Continue reading Creative, sensitive and grounded in diverse perspectives: Why we need inclusive climate change education →

The DfE Draft Strategy on Climate Change & Sustainability Education: A Head’s Up & A Head Start

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

Many say that COP26 ended last November with not much to cheer about. But it did give us educators plenty food for thought. Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi gave encouraging sentiments regarding the Department for Education’s (DfE) plans to improve climate change and sustainability education in England. A draft strategy has been published and here I will offer a brief overview with some light analysis and what schools can do to get a head-start.

Original art produced for 'The Phoenix' by Laila Arêde.

Teachers: we have climate-anxious youngsters, but can we do something about it

Posted on by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)

An excerpt from an article that I wrote for 'The Phoenix', a newletter by climate journalist Eric Holthaus, which focusses "most closely on humanizing this planetary emergency: being transparent about the challenges we’re facing and the complex emotions we’re all feeling, and being honest about what we need to do to radically transform our society." The banner image is original art produced for 'The Phoenix' by Laila Arêde.