Engaging new sustainability for early childhood resource published by NCFE

We're proud to announce the publication of an engaging and informative new resource, Sustainability Matters in Early Childhood, which will support and empower the early years sector to learn more about our responsibilities to each other and the world in which we live. 

Rich with teaching prompts, case studies, and activities that can be carried out in the classroom and beyond, its publication looks to support practitioners, educators, childminders, parents/ carers, and early years students to take small green steps towards a better climate future globally in engaging ways. 

Download our engaging Sustainability Matters in Early Childhood resource for free by clicking here.

The focus of this resource aligns itself with the Government's sustainability and climate change strategy for education and children's services systems, which was published in April 2022.  

It has also been produced to support early years practitioners as they engage with babies, young children, and parents/carers in the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) – another focal point highlighted in the Government’s strategy, in order to harness skills required for the green jobs of the future. 

The resource was developed by a team of subject experts at NCFE – including Janet King (Sector Manager for Education and Childcare), Stacy Mann (Subject Specialist for Early Years and Childcare), Angie Rogers (Subject Specialist for Teaching and Learning) and Joe Neame (Science Subject Specialist) – in partnership with Dr Diane Boyd, Senior Early Years Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, whose provided her expertise, knowledge and insight to the project. 

This new resource comes less than a year after the same authors collaborated on the Early Childhood Education for Sustainability resource, which went on to win the 2022 Education for Sustainable Development Award, selected by the World Organisation for Early Childhood Education (OMEP). 

Speaking of the importance of this resource to early years educators, Janet King said: “There’s no better place to start thinking about sustainability than the early years.

"Small steps taken and advocated by practitioners through everyday conversation, experience and opportunity supports best practice. The resource allows for this in a fun, engaging, interactive and inclusive way.” 

Outlining the crucial nature of working collaboratively in developing this resource, Stacy Mann stated: “Collaboration was key to producing such a rich body of evidence to demonstrate the amazing ways that sustainability is being communicated in the early years sector.   

“We really hope this inspires educators to increase their knowledge and understanding about what they already are doing – but also, what else they can do!”