Policy and Procedure No. 45
Climate Action Plan
From September 2025 onwards, the Department for Education expects all Early Years settings to appoint a Sustainability Lead to coordinate climate action efforts.
At Millfield Pre-School our Sustainability Lead is: Tegan Kidman
The role includes:
- developing and implementing the pre-school’s climate action plan.
- to engage staff, children, and the wider pre-school community in sustainability initiatives.
- to stay informed about local and national sustainability resources, training, and policies.
- to connect with networks and attend events to share knowledge and gain support.
To summarise, the role of the sustainability lead is to create a climate action plan unique to their setting and to strive to create a culture that prioritises sustainability and future-proofing our planet.
At Millfield Pre-School, our climate action plan covers four areas:
- Reducing carbon emissions and taking actions to be more energy efficient.
- Adaptation and resilience.
- Improving the environment and biodiversity.
- Climate education.
- Reducing carbon emissions.
- All staff at Millfield Pre-School will work to reduce the setting’s carbon emissions by considering whether lights need to be on and ensure that windows and doors are closed when the heating is switched on.
- All staff and attending families should consider whether it is possible to walk or cycle to and from pre-school.
- Reducing use of single-use plastics, such as disposable cups and using disposable gloves and aprons only when essential.
- Adaptation and resilience.
- Installing water butts on downpipes to collect rainwater to use in times of drought.
- As and when light fittings and heaters need to be replaced, use energy-efficient LED models.
- Improving the environment and biodiversity
- REDUCE – decrease consumption of food wastage, materials and resources throughout the setting.
- REUSE – Use materials many times and for different purposes.
- REPAIR – Fix things rather than discarding them or repurposing them.
- RECYCLE – Be aware of the alternatives to discarding rubbish.
- ROT – Let things go back to the earth with a compost heap and enrich the next crop of plants while providing a habitat for insects.
- Climate Education
- RESPECT – Educate staff and families on understanding and respecting nature and natural processes. Encourage children to show compassion and consideration to all people and animals.
- REFLECT – Encourage children to develop the habit/skill of being thoughtful, asking questions and wondering about experiences.
- RESPONSIBILITY – Give children the trust to take care of something or do something worthwhile – i.e. be socially and economically sustainable and grow our own fruit and vegetables for snack.
The Sustainability Lead will ensure the Climate Action Plan is integrated into everyday practice at Millfield Pre-School and monitor improvements over time.
References
Sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education. Department for Education. Last updated 7 March 2025. www.gov.uk.
London Early Years Foundation – Sustainability Strategy 2025. Accessed April 2025. www.leyf.org.uk
Sustainability matters in Early Childhood. Boyd, King, Mann & Neame. (2022) NCFE.
Signed: Clara Hall- Chairperson.
Signed: Tegan Kidman- Lead Practitioner/Manager.
Reviewed: 11th February 2026.
Review: 11th February 2027.