Concerned that the school curriculum, particularly for secondary students, did not place enough emphasis on the climate emergency, a group of volunteers came together to do something about it. Schools’ Climate Education South Yorkshire (SCESY) was formed in the summer of 2019, aiming to organise conferences for schools in South Yorkshire, with climate change as the central theme, and to provide continuing support through a network and website. 

SCESY aims to encourage schools to educate young people to become active citizens, enable their discussion and participation in tackling the climate emergency, empower them to become local climate champions, and much more. They want to support students, teachers and schools on their climate education journey, as well as embedding climate change into all areas of the national curriculum.

Educating students for a sustainable future

The Schools’ Climate Education South Yorkshire (SCESY) team works with schools and authorities in Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield to deliver an annual conference, ensuring that every student in South Yorkshire has the opportunity to access educational climate workshops and resources.

SCESY created an inspirational, fun and transformative experience for students, teachers and school leaders in both primary and secondary education settings. They engaged hundreds of students in climate action, equipping them with the vital tools they need to make change in the world as active citizens. But, there is still a lot of work to be done – climate change needs to be embedded into the school curriculum at all levels. Further guidance is available on the SCESY website.