The importance of introducing sustainability into the Early Years Curriculum

Equally important is the introduction of sustainability into curriculums from the very early years.

While both teach problem-solving skills, creative and analytical skills, young children especially can have tangible connections when introduced to biodiversity and sustainability at very young ages which may impact them in a way that technology may only do later on in their academic journey.

Preparing young minds to think about the world around them, to think about what they can offer as solutions at a grass root level is important. Talking to children in nursery and reception about what sustainability means to them prepares them to understand and have an awareness of the world around them and the importance of preserving the environment.

Richard Berlie believes it is important to introduce sustainability to Early Years education (Image: St Anthony’s)

Teaching children at this stage to open their minds and come up with innovative solutions within their classrooms and peer groups trains them to think laterally, to link what is taught in school with what is happening around them and what that impact is on their daily lives.

Outdoor learning at this young age supports children to grow not just academically but also with a social conscience. It enables children to come together to find solutions, to express themselves and to think, from a young age, about how their actions may have an impact not just on themselves or on one another but also on the world they live in and will grow up in.

Opening minds on this topic in particular feeds into a child’s natural love of the outdoors and couples it with their natural and innate curiosity inspiring children to practise looking outwards from a young age. It gives children the confidence to have a voice. It helps them to work together to achieve results, it inspires them to find their own passions and to think creatively about how to make a valued impact on society.

They begin to understand what it means to live in a society and how each can help the other.

The importance of early years education in this regard, can sometimes feel like it gets overlooked in the drive towards academic achievement and reading and writing skills but taking what children naturally gravitate towards and turning it into a learning experience that is hugely impactful will instil a love of learning that will bear longer lasting effects on a child’s psyche.

Richard Berlie is the headmaster at St Anthony’s School for Boys in Hampstead.