Source · National Audit Office

Department for Education: sustainability overview

This report gives an overview of the approach taken by the Department for Education (DfE) to environmental sustainability.

Published: 28 Jun 2023 Recommendations: 6 Type: Value for Money NAO confirmed: 6 Department: Department for Education

Dept: Department for Education Topics: Education, training and skillsEnergy and environmentEnvironmental sustainabilityFurther and higher educationSchools nao.org.uk →

Recommendations

6 items

6 accepted 4 implemented 1 in progress

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 13, 22 a

a) by the end of 2023, agree department-wide governance and accountability arrangements for the strategy, particularly for areas of DfE without dedicated sustainability governance. This should include the relative responsibilities of the SCCU and other areas of DfE in relation to strategy commitments;

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · 07/2024 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 13, 22 b

b) by April 2024, two years into the strategy, implement a plan to measure benefits from the strategy;

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · 04/2024 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 3

Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 13, 22 e

e) align resources to the strategy, making sure the relationship between funding in place and ambitions is realistic. This will also include prioritising the strategic risks to the estate including climate/environmental risk and re-assessing what is possible should it not receive the funding it hopes for; and

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · 02/2026 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 13, 22 c

c) develop a clear evidence base of what sustainability measures work in schools and where to target its funding within the school estate as part of its preparations for the next Spending Review. It needs to define metrics for assessing pilots (to include user feedback and cost-effectiveness) and improve data so that it has a better understanding of schools most vulnerable to climate risk;

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: In progress · 12/2026 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 5

Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 13, 22 d

d) once an emissions target is in place for the education sector, publish a decarbonisation plan to define progress towards net zero for its estates;

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: No longer relevant · 12/2025 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 6

Addressee: Department for Education · Source location: Page 11, paragraph 22, point f

f) share evidence, examples and learning with the sector so that schools can make informed decisions about what sustainability interventions would work best for their circumstances.

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · 07/2025 · Confirmed by NAO