Twelve Sheffield schools, early years providers and colleges will receive grant funding from Sheffield City Council’s major new initiative—Built for Change—to help them respond to the growing impacts of climate change. The programme, backed by £505,000 in public health funding, as well as additional resources from partner organisations, will support educational settings to reduce emissions, improve resilience to extreme weather, and create healthier learning environments for young people.
Why It Matters?
Education providers are on the frontline of the climate emergency. Rising temperatures and increased flooding are already disrupting learning, with some schools facing up to 15 days a year of classroom temperatures exceeding 35°C. The Government now requires all schools to develop climate action plans by the end of 2025.
Built for Change is designed to help schools meet this challenge by providing funding, technical support, and expert guidance.
Programme Highlights
• 12 schools and colleges selected for grant funding in a pilot programme, including Arbourthorne Community Primary, Seven Hills School, and The Sheffield College.
• Climate action plans are being developed with the help of the Let’s Go Zero national campaign, which supports schools, colleges and nurseries in cutting their carbon, becoming better places to work, learn and play.
• Young people to be actively involved through school-based projects.
The Council is proposing the creation of a grant fund to support climate adaptation projects in schools. Grants of at least £20,000 per setting will be available for:
• Costs of physical climate resilience measures such as increasing ventilation or solar window film to reduce heat, installing rain gardens or planters to reduce surface water flooding, or shade structures to allow for play and outdoor learning
• Staff time to give teachers and other staff dedicated time to make the projects come to life and make the most of the opportunities
Eligible projects must directly benefit the health, wellbeing, or education of young people.
In 2022, Sheffield recorded temperatures of over 40°C for the first time in history. Schools were forced to close their doors and children lost out on vital learning time, underlining how extreme weather is already disrupting education in our city. The sunny weather and heatwaves we enjoy during the summer months can be very welcome for short periods, but you can’t get away from the fact that the impact of climate change means they are becoming more common and prolonged, bringing with them several dangers — from classrooms overheating and lessons being cancelled, to health risks for vulnerable pupils, disruption to exams, and higher costs for schools trying to cool their buildings.
The Built for Change project is an important step in tackling these challenges, supporting schools to adapt their buildings and empowering those most directly involved, including students themselves, to take action. Climate action plans will also help schools save money – Let’s Go Zero’s audits have found ways to save thousands of pounds on energy bills, freeing up resources that can be spent instead on books and classroom assistants, as well as reducing emissions.
Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council
Our children and young people deserve safe, comfortable learning environments all year round. When schools overheat or have to close, it’s pupils who lose out. This project gives schools practical tools to adapt to climate change, while also saving money that can be reinvested directly into children’s education and wellbeing. It’s about making sure every child has the best possible chance to learn and thrive, whatever the weather.
Cllr Dawn Dale, Chair of the Education, Children and Families Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council
Built for Change is a collaborative effort, led by Sheffield City Council, involving:
• Let’s Go Zero (Ashden)
• Connected by Water (including Yorkshire Water)
• Sheffield Business Together and local businesses in their network
• Learn Sheffield
• Sheffield Hallam University
Education providers can sign up to the Built for Change network for support and information about future funding opportunities, including autumn workshops from Let’s Go Zero.