Teach Secondary Issue 14.7

THE BENEFITS OF... SUSTAINABLE BUILDING Needto know The Social Market Foundation has published a ‘Perspectives Paper’ that critiques the government guidance issued earlier this year, advising schools and colleges on how they should be using AI tools. Authored by former DfE advisor Tom Richmond, the pointedly titled ‘EducAItion, EducAItion, EducAItion’ paper cautions that the government’s AI guidance has thus far neglected the impacts of generative AI technologies on key learning processes, focusing instead on areas such as data protection, safeguarding and matters of intellectual property law, while championing its potential for relieving the administrative burden currently placed on teachers. Richmond proceeds to cite several studies, including one ‘ Finding a significant negative correlation between frequent AI tool usage and critical thinking abilities ’, and another suggesting that frequent use of ChatGPT can create a dependency on the technology among learners, leading to poorer academic outcomes in the long term. The full paper can be downloaded via tinyurl. com/ts147-LL5 14% of teachers say they are ‘unlikely’ or ‘very unlikely’ to still be in the classroom in two years’ time Source: Nationwide surveyof 1,800 teachers carried out byKahoot! at the start of the 2025/26 academicyear ETHAN MORRIS IS A TECHNICAL SALES EXECUTIVE FOR THE UK’S LEADING EDUCATION CANOPY PROVIDER, FORDINGBRIDGE, AND HASWORKEDWITH HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES TO TRANSFORMTHEIR SITESWITH IMAGINATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE ALL-WEATHER SOLUTIONS. Think sustainability and you probably also immediately think about the costs involved. Over the years, sustainable products and services have become associated with big budgets, and therefore out of reach for many schools. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Whilst some sustainable building solutions are undoubtedly costly – especially those that are groundbreaking or niche – there are many achievable ways of making a meaningful sustainability commitment across your school’s site… 1. SMALL SEEDS, LARGE IMPACT A key mistake schools make when considering sustainable building is thinking too ambitiously. Scale back those plans, and it’s amazing the impact you can have – a case in point being Sedum roofs. Just one square metre of green roof can capture 5kg of CO2 annually. No wonder ‘urban greening’ is such a huge movement. In fact, a green roof map released by the Greater London Authority’s Environment Team recorded almost 700 green roofs across London, covering an area measuring larger than 25 football pitches. The beauty of Sedum roofs is that any area, however tiny, can be covered to achieve a triple sustainability win – a more attractive environment, richer biodiversity and effective carbon removal. We’ve covered everything – from bike shelters at the University of Cambridge, to walkway roofing for schools, and even the roof of the Reptile Centre at London Zoo. 2. HARNESS THAT SUNSHINE We spend so much of our time gazing up at grey skies in the UK, it’s easy to overlook solar panels as a sustainability solution – but one of the biggest myths out there is that you ‘need sunshine’ to generate power. If there’s enough light to see, then there’s enough to generate power – and the amount of power that panels can generate may surprise you. We installed solar panels at our head office two years ago, and they now generate 32% of our power. Even better, solar panels can be easily incorporated into any all-weather canopy design – from canopies covering sports courts, to all-weather dining canopies and walkways. The possibilities are endless, and the presence of panels can be a powerful way of conveying your sustainability commitment (while also saving youmoney on your heating and lighting costs in the longer term). 3. THINK ‘TOMORROW’ When undertaking any on-site building project, a key sustainability win is to think into the future. Ask yourself two key questions: ‘ Is this structure futureproof? ’ and ‘ Howwill we dispose of the materials used in the structure at the end of its lifetime? ’ When designing a new structure, any responsible supplier should work with your team to ensure that it can be adapted or converted as your school’s needs change. This flexible building approach helps ensure longevity – a key sustainability win. It’s also worth checking that any materials used will be fully recyclable at the end of your structure’s lifetime. 4. PLANT, PLANT, PLANT Finally, remember to think not just about the buildings on your site, but also about what surrounds them. Trees, for instance, will remove carbon from the atmosphere, re-green and elevate your environment, provide powerful aesthetic and wellbeing benefits, and have a quantifiable impact on your school’s sustainability. Building and thinking sustainably needn’t be a chore. Nor does it have to negatively impact upon your finances. If you can stay open-minded, partner with like-minded suppliers and embrace imaginative solutions, then thinking sustainably can prove to be an exciting, achievable and ultimately transformative thing for your school to do... 78 teachwire.net/secondary