Barnsley College
Sustainability in Practice: Embedding ESD in early years settings
Finalist, Benefitting Society
About
Sustainability in Practice embedded the UN Sustainable Development Goals into Barnsley College’s Year 1 T Level Childcare curriculum, enabling 62 learners to turn sustainability learning into practical action. Over nine weeks, students formed project teams around Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Life on Land, Life Below Water and Climate Action, creating early years stories, illustrated books, poems, posters, parent packs and hands-on activities for placements. Learners applied sustainability directly within early years practice, engaging children, families and placement staff while generating evidence across T Level components. Delivered with no departmental budget, the project created reusable resources, 11 project books and a transferable template with teacher guidance notes. It demonstrates a low-cost, scalable model for embedding sustainability into vocational education while developing learners’ confidence, professionalism, employability and community responsibility.
Top 3 learnings
- We learned sustainability education is most powerful when learners apply it in real settings.
- We learned when sustainability is embedded in early years practice, influence extends beyond the classroom.
- We learned you don’t need high-cost curriculum design to create lasting community impact.
What it would mean to win
Winning a Green Gown Award would recognise the creativity and commitment of T Level Childcare learners and staff in turning sustainability from theory into practice. It would show that meaningful Education for Sustainable Development does not require large budgets or specialist equipment; it can be embedded through thoughtful curriculum design, student empowerment and community engagement.
SDG
| 2026 | |
| Benefitting Society | |
| Finalist, UK and Ireland |
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Green Gown Award Regions
Australasia
