Education Scotland Improvement Hub – Summary of Learning for Sustainability Resources includes key strategic information, key resources, information on the new LfS Action Plan launched in June, 2023.
LfS (including Global Citizenship) is woven throughout the Curriculum for Excellence. Global issues affecting all of us can be placed in context by investigating and taking action at a local level. There are many organisations working directly with educators and schools to embed this in practice.
Use the Outdoor Learning/Learning for Sustainability Wakelet on the Improvement Hub to find further links to useful resources and organisations.
East Ayrshire Council have created their own You Tube – EAC Climate Change Channel These short films can be used to stimulate discussion in your classroom and promote practical action – see the Recycling Food Waste video Banana Skin.
View the East Ayrshire sharing Clean Green Education Award experience presented at a Keep Scotland Beautiful webinar.
An Education Scotland Webinar on LfS brings the policy, rationale and the strategic context together in a presentation from Kit Gilbert, Attainment Advisor, Education Scotland (approximately 30 minutes into the recording) and shows what a whole school, whole community approach looks like at EAC Logan PS LfS – A Context for School Improvement.
Falkirk Council have put together the Falkirk LfS Planning Framework . This aims to streamline the broad range of elements within the LfS Wordle we are all familiar with.
Resources to Help Teachers Explore LfS and the Professional Standards
LfS and GTC Professional Standards
In Scotland, the Professional Standards for Teachers are underpinned by Learning for Sustainability as a key cross-cutting themeand interdependent with the other key cross-cutting themes of Values and Leadership.
GTC Scotland has worked with Learning for Sustainability Scotland, Scotland’s United Nations University-recognised Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development, to develop resources to help teachers to explore Learning for Sustainability in the Professional Standards for Teachers.
UN Global Goals/UN Sustainable Development Goals
A key framework for Sustainability is the UN Global Goals. Nearly all the countries in the world have committed themselves to these Global Goals, also known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN Global Goals – SDGs: Education Resources on this page are for adults and youth alike – a fun and engaging way to learn about the Sustainable Development Goals and what you can do to take action to make them a reality.
( To see how the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Scottish National Outcomes and Scotland’s Environment Strategy all mesh together see Fig. 1 Environment Strategy Scotland)
SCODEC Global Learning Centre are running a range of free digital CLPL for the education sector nationally in partnership with Scotland’s Development Education Centres. You will link LfS, Global Citizenship themes and SDGs to real world issues that young people care about. Take a look and sign up.
WOSDEC Global Learning Centre believe our education system can and should empower young people to act as global citizens, able and committed to shaping a just and sustainable future for all, locally and globally….. We provide practical education resources which support active Global Citizenship and Learning for Sustainability. Including resources for learning at home. Links on the website include IDEAS for Global Citizenship, the Scottish partner in a project co-created and implemented by 15 European and global civil society organisations Bridge 47 .
Explore the UN Global Goals (UN SDGs) – Primary
Explore the UN Global Goals (UN SDGs) – Secondary
Keep Scotland Beautiful and Eco Schools Scotland
Eco-Schools is the largest sustainable schools programme in the world with 19.5 million children, young people and educators engaged worldwide in 67 different countries.
Eco-Schools is operated internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful in Scotland.
Keep Scotland Beautiful and Climate Action Schools
Programmes include the LEAF (Learning About Forests) award.
While the focus of the LEAF programme is on tree-based ecosystems, the skills and knowledge can be acquired and applied in any natural environment. Our definition of forest is wide and can include marine forests and urban ecosystems. Anyone can take part in LEAF, no matter where they live.
LEAF is an annual programme following the school year, with registration closing in October. Registration for 2023 is now closed, but you can sign up to take part next year (starting August 2024).
There are a host of learning opportunities and support on offer through the Connecting Classrooms programme. Whether you want to collaborate with other schools locally and internationally, or you’re looking for personal development opportunities, you can tailor your journey to suit your needs and priorities, thanks to the programme’s flexible range of elements.
There is help to find partner schools, free classroom resources, funding, support from local experts, fully- funded professional learning and accreditation.
Learning for Sustainability Scotland
… Scotland’s Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development ,,, As Scotland’s United Nations Regional Centre of Expertise, we are part of a global network of RCEs throughout the UK, Europe and beyond. This international network allows regions and countries to share and learn from each other, and to establish or strengthen international partnerships.
Children in Nature is a global movement to increase equitable access to nature so that children– and natural places–can thrive. Children and Nature shares evidence-based resources and innovative solutions.
What you’ll find here is an evolving overview of the lesson plans, activities and other teaching tools available relating to the concept of the Doughnut, the Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist and Doughnut Economics in practice.
Introduce the ideas behind Doughnut Economics using this simple activity aimed at learners aged 14 and over Doughnut Economics Drawing Activity
