Learning for Sustainability

Learning for Sustainability

Learning for Sustainability can be described as ‘concerned with knowing and understanding our world and about equipping children and young people with values, knowledge, attitudes, capabilities and skills to enable them to contribute effectively to the common good. (Opening up Great Learning: Learning for Sustainability, Education Scotland 2015).

At Ratho Primary School we work hard to ensure children are given opportunities to learn how they can contribute to the local, national and world communities. This is done in various ways: litter awareness, outdoor learning, John Muir Awards, fundraising for charities at home and abroad, the Canal Adoption Scheme, Children’s rights, growing and selling food at our farmer’s market, trips to local farms, maintaining our secret garden, protecting key animal species in our school grounds, energy monitors in classes, pupil voice groups such as Ratho Action Group, Eco Warriors and Rights Knights, loose parts playground play, learning about other cultures, learning about political systems and also promoting our school values.

For a school it is ‘a whole school approach that enables the school and its wider community to build the values, attitudes, knowledge, skills and confidence needed to develop practices and take decisions which are compatible with a sustainable and equitable world.’ (Learning for Sustainability, The report of the One Planet Schools Group, 2012).

We bear this in mind when planning a number of experiences for our children at Ratho Primary School.