By 2025, as part of the Department for Education's (DfE) Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, all UK academy schools should have a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in place. This is part of a broader strategy to create a culture of sustainability within schools and the wider community.
Here we will help you understand the requirements and steps to develop a comprehensive CAP and how UHY can help you do this. Additionally, it includes information on the existing Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) requirements under the Companies Act which have been a requirement for large companies since 1 April 2019.
Understanding the requirements
Climate Action Plan (CAP) requirements:
- Sustainability lead: Appoint a sustainability lead responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the CAP.
- Climate Action Plan: Develop a CAP that addresses decarbonisation, climate education, resilience and the natural environment.
Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) compliance
- Reporting scope: Applies to large companies and LLPs that meet at least two of the following criteria: £36m annual turnover, £18m balance sheet total or 250 employees.
- Reporting requirements: Report on UK energy use, Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and an intensity metric in the annual Directors’ Report.
Steps to develop a Climate Action Plan
Step 1: Establish a sustainability leadership structure
- Appoint a sustainability lead: Ensure they have the authority and knowledge to drive the CAP. They will need support from senior leadership as well as a sustainability committee.
- Form a sustainability committee: Include representatives from staff, both operational and educational, students and the community. This is key and should involve representatives from across your various stakeholders.
Step 2: Collect your data and conduct a baseline assessment
- Energy audit: Assess current energy use and GHG emissions. If you are already in scope for SECR reporting this information is a good starting point.
- Resource use: Evaluate water usage, waste management and other resource consumption. Bear in mind that in the new mandatory recycling regulations that came into place from 31 March 2025, all schools in England must comply with the new regulations.
- Biodiversity and green spaces: Assess the current state of natural environments within the school grounds. The National Education Nature Park provides curriculum-linked resources and practica activities to engage children and young people in nature and the improvement of their local environment and is a way of adding meaningful biodiversity action into your CAP.
Step 3: Set goals and targets
- Decarbonisation: set targets for reducing carbon emissions, using your baseline
- Climate education: integrate climate education into the curriculum
- Resilience: develop strategies to enhance the school's resilience to climate impacts
- Natural environment: plan for the improvement of green spaces and biodiversity.
Step 4: Develop action plans
- Energy efficiency: implement measures to reduce energy consumption (eg., LED lighting, insulation)
- Renewable energy: explore options for renewable energy installations (eg., solar panels)
- Waste reduction: introduce enhanced recycling programs and reduce single-use plastics
- Water conservation: install water-saving devices and promote water conservation practices
- Biodiversity projects: create wildlife habitats and outdoor learning spaces.
Step 5: Monitor and report progress
- Regular monitoring: track progress against targets and adjust plans as needed - this should be at least once a year
- Annual reporting: include CAP progress in the annual report to stakeholders
- Engage the community: share progress with students, parents and the local community.
Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) compliance
- Reporting scope: applies to large companies and LLPs that meet at least two of the following criteria: £36m annual turnover, £18m balance sheet total, or 250 employees
- Reporting requirements: report on UK energy use, Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and an intensity metric in the annual Directors’ Report.
Reporting requirements:
- Energy use: report on total UK energy consumption
- GHG emissions: report Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) emissions
- Intensity metric: provide a metric to measure energy efficiency (eg., emissions per pupil)
- Narrative on energy efficiency: describe actions taken to improve energy efficiency.
Steps to comply:
- Data collection: establish processes for accurate data collection on energy use and emissions - UHY’s Sustainable Business services team can help you collect this data
- Reporting framework: use the SECR guidelines to structure your report
- Verification: consider third-party verification to ensure accuracy and credibility - UHY have an independent Sustainable Business Assurance team who can provide you with a limited assurance on your carbon accounting to give you piece of mind
How your climate action plan can help you prosper
There are numerous benefits to creating and monitoring your climate action plan and understanding your carbon emissions. Not only is there a potential to reduce energy costs, but you will also be more prepared and can adapt for the negative effects of climate change, such as rising temperatures in schools. It is also an opportunity to engage with the wider community as well as students and staff and can improve the school’s reputation and will inevitably improve staff and student wellbeing.
Our purpose at UHY, helping you prosper, goes beyond the traditional service lines and to prosper, you need to build sustainable practices into your education setting. UHY’s Sustainable Business Services team can help you measure your baseline assessment by measuring and reporting your GHG emissions and resource use. This information can help you develop a robust Climate Action Plan and comply with SECR requirements. By taking action now and having a proactive approach will not only ensure compliance but also contribute to a sustainable future for your school and its community.
The next step
If you have any enquiries regarding the above, please reach out to Harriet Hodgson-Grove or get in touch using the contact form below.
