FAQs - ECO2 Smart Schools Climate Conference
Is there a cost to take part in the ECO₂ Smart Schools Climate Conference?
Schools that are part of the Energy Management SLA with Durham County Council or international schools do not have to pay to take part.
My school is not in Durham County Council’s Energy Management SLA, but would like to take part.
To take part in the ECO2 Smart Schools Conference there is a cost of £249 for primary schools and £449 for secondary schools.
What age do my pupils have to be to take part?
It is recommended for pupils aged 7 – 14.
When is the deadline for signing up?
We are no longer accepting new schools into the ECO2 Smart Schools Climate Conference. If you would like to be notified about future projects please email [email protected].
Virtual ECO2 Smart Schools Climate Conference Events
When will the virtual events take place?
Two virtual events have been scheduled to account for time differences. Your school does not need to attend both events and you do not need to attend the same event as your partner school:
6th October 2021: 10am – 12pm BST
14th October 2021: 1pm – 3pm BST
Please let us know which event your school would like to attend by emailing [email protected]
ECO2 Smart Schools Climate Conference Education Pack
What is the education pack?
The education pack contains nine lessons, each with a lesson plan, PowerPoint (which includes links to videos created by Durham University professors) and supporting resources. Of the nine lessons, there are four core lessons (lesson 1, 2, 8 + 9), which you must deliver in order to take an active role in the programme, and five optional lessons (lesson 3, 4, 5, 6 + 7), based on the five key themes of COP26. You can choose to take part in these optional lessons if you would like to expand your pupil’s knowledge of the subject matter and enable them to take a more active role in the virtual conference.
Where can I download the education pack?
All nine lessons and a Teacher guide can be downloaded from the Schools Climate Conference page.
When does the education pack need to be delivered by?
All four of the core lessons, and any chosen optional lessons, must be delivered ahead of the virtual events in October.
Partner Schools
Which schools will my school be partnered with?
Your school will be partnered as a cluster with several other schools in different countries. You should now have received the names of the partners schools in your cluster and contact details for each school’s lead.
What do I need to share with our partner schools?
In core lessons 8 (sharing our learning) and 9 (pledging action) the young people are asked to create a variety of pieces of work including a display / presentation and a piece of creative art. These pieces of work need to be shared with your partner schools and sent to [email protected] before the virtual events in October 2021. For more information please download the Teacher Guide.
Photography Competition
Pupils are invited to enter photographs that they have taken into two categories:
- An image of concern that depicts their thoughts and feelings about climate change.
- An image of hope that demonstrates the actions that they / your school / their family is taking to combat climate change.
The most inspirational images will be shown during the virtual conference. Please submit all entries to [email protected] by 5pm, 30th September 2021.
Click here to return to the ECO2 Smart Schools Climate Conference Page.