Below are guides, examples, and supporting organisations to help schools create or strengthen their Climate Action Plans (CAPs).
A strong CAP should cover decarbonisation, climate resilience and adaptation, biodiversity and environmental improvement, and climate education linked to green careers. Plans should include clear actions, responsibilities, timelines and monitoring to support delivery.
Climate Action Planning is an opportunity to reflect your school’s values, engage pupils, staff and the wider community, and inspire action while meeting Department for Education expectations.
CAPs should be living, accessible documents that are reviewed regularly, celebrate progress and embed sustainability into school culture, creating a shared vision for positive change.
Guides ↴
Climate Ambassador Padlet
The East of England Climate Ambassadors' padlet is a one-stop hub for DfE guidance, climate action planning resources, training videos, and more.
CAP Roap Map
This roadmap, developed by Patrick Gordon at Comberton Village College, supports schools across leadership, education, net zero, resilience and biodiversity.
Transform Our World's CAP Tool
This free digital tool helps schools create tailored climate action plans. By answering simple questions, schools receive personalised actions and resources.
Climate Action Plan Booklet
This free booklet from Friends of the Earth provides 50 practical measures for schools to reduce climate impact across transport, food, energy, nature, and waste.
Templates and Examples ↴
The DfE does not prescribe a fixed structure for Climate Action Plans. This means CAPs can reflect your priorities, and values.
The Climate Ambassadors' template CAP covers decarbonisation, adaptation and resilience, biodiversity, and climate education and green skills.
Comberton's CAP covers a wide range of key sustainability areas and includes costs, easiness ratings, timelines, stakeholders and progress tracking.
Drake Primary's CAP is a detailed, vision-led template which includes prompt questions, actions, timelines, stakeholders, costs and progress tracking.
The Great Barton Primary CAP helps identify actions and stakeholders and includes structured steps, resources, and monitoring ideas too.
Trusted Organisations to Power Your Climate Action Plan ↴
By joining Let’s Go Zero's campagin working towards zero carbon by 2030, schools can access free, tailored advice from their local Climate Action Advisors.
Climate Ambassadors are trained volunteers with sustainability expertise who can help schools develop CAPs, provide safeguarding, training, and more.
Sustainability Support for Education is a DfE-backed online library of resources aimed to help schools create and implement climate action plans by 2025.
The National Education Nature Park supports schools to increase biodiversity through their free, five-step cycle. They also provide climate education resources.
