Environmental Sustainability at YLT
Why Yorkshire Learning Trust Has an Environmental Sustainability Strategy
At Yorkshire Learning Trust, we want every child and young person to grow up not only achieving strong outcomes, but also understanding their place in, and responsibility to, the world around them. Our Trust values speak to developing well-rounded individuals who contribute positively to society and make wise choices. Caring for our environment, and preparing pupils for a future shaped by climate challenges and opportunities, is therefore a natural extension of who we are.
Our Environmental Sustainability Strategy sets out how we will work together—schools, students, staff, governors and communities—to create more sustainable, resilient and nature-rich places to learn. The DfE expects all schools to have a Climate Action Plan in place by 2025, covering the four key areas of decarbonisation, adaptation and resilience, biodiversity, and climate education and green careers. Our strategy provides the shared foundation from which every YLT school will develop its own Climate Action Plan.
Why Schools Are Creating Climate Action Plans
A Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a practical, school-level roadmap that identifies what can be done now and what needs to be planned for the future. Every CAP is tailored to the school’s context, but all follow the same four pillars used nationally:
Decarbonisation – reducing energy use and carbon emissions
Adaptation & Resilience – preparing for hotter summers, heavy rainfall and other climate-related risks
Biodiversity – protecting and enhancing natural habitats, often through initiatives like the National Education Nature Park
Climate Education & Green Careers – ensuring pupils gain knowledge, skills and opportunities connected to sustainability and future green jobs
This structure ensures that cultural actions, curriculum, estates decisions and student leadership all pull in the same direction. Climate Action Plans are most powerful when they are linked to the Trust’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy, reviewed through governance, and developed by a broad team including educational, operational and student representatives .
How This Supports Our Ambition for Young People
Our ambition is for YLT pupils to be passionate about the natural world, equipped with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a changing climate, and empowered to make a positive difference in their communities. The Trust Environmental Sustainability Strategy emphasises preparing pupils for “a lifetime of sustainable choices” and enabling them to take positive action in their schools and communities.
Through their involvement in Climate Action Plans, eco-groups, curriculum projects, and leadership opportunities, young people will:
build a deep connection to nature
understand global and local environmental challenges
develop green skills for future careers
feel confident that their voice matters
This aligns with national programmes such as the Nature Park and Climate Ambassadors initiatives, which highlight the benefits of pupil wellbeing, scientific engagement and active citizenship.
A Student-Focused Climate Action Conference – Every Year
Each year, YLT will host a Trust-wide Climate Action Conference, bringing together students from all our schools to share ideas, showcase projects, explore green careers and help shape the future direction of sustainability across the Trust. This builds on our commitment in the Environmental Sustainability Strategy for strong student voice and student-led action as part of our CAP development and implementation.
Together for a Better Future
Environmental stewardship is not an additional task—it is part of our educational purpose and our shared responsibility to future generations. Through this strategy and the development of Climate Action Plans in every school, Yorkshire Learning Trust is taking thoughtful, practical and collective steps towards a more sustainable future for our communities and the young people we serve.