Sustainable Schools - A Few Small Steps

Be a Sustainable School with AFSS

A Few Small Steps (AFSS) is Action for Sustainable Living's educational programme, currently being delivered in Greater Manchester. Using an integrated 'whole school approach', staff and students participate in identifying current good practice and opportunities for change. Through lessons, school council action planning and technical support, we work with all members of the school community to bring about real and lasting change.

What does the programme consist of?

Schools are provided with sustainability mentoring around 3 main topics:

Food – awareness of healthy food, growing & composting, multi-cultural foods and the environmental impacts of different diets

Waste and Recycling – reducing the amount of unnecessary materials used in schools and increasing recycling rates

Energy use – reduction in schools emissions, with an initial target of 10% reduction on current energy costs. We aim to reduce a school's energy usage both during the project and by embedding ongoing energy saving practices into the school and its community

As well as the 6-12 month Sustainability Mentoring programme, our one-off school support services range from:

• assemblies
• after-school clubs
• provision of resources & teaching materials
• staff training & support
• sustainable procurement advice
• coordinating links to other local service providers.
• coordinating a wide-range of volunteering opportunities in local communities and with other schools.

Why should you get involved?

There are many benefits from taking part in AFSS. They include:

• Improve aspects of Ofsted & SEF reporting

• Save money on bills in the face of rising fuel costs

• Deliver the National Curriculum in a real life context

• Encourage social responsibility and global citizenship

• Enhance Eco-schools & Healthy Schools status

• Develop school and wider community links 

How can you get involved?

Read more about AFSS by downloading the attachments at the bottom of the page. For any further information please email Mark Haworth at afssmark@afsl.org.uk or Josh Steiner at josh.steiner@afsl.org.uk

DCSF's Sustainable Schools Framework takes an overarching approach. It links several existing initiatives within both the National Framework and the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Framework introducing the principles of sustainable development and offering guidance on how to embed these principles into the heart of school life.