ESDGC: Progress in education for sustainable development and global citizenship - June 2014
This thematic report is published in response to a request for advice from the Welsh Government in the Ministerial remit to Estyn for 2013-2014. It reports on the progress that primary, secondary and special schools have made in education for sustainable development and global citizenship (ESDGC) since 2006 when Estyn published a baseline report on, ‘Establishing a position statement for Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship in Wales’. One purpose of the 2006 report was to inform ESDGC delivery for the next five years.The judgements in this report are based on evidence gathered from inspections using Estyn’s ‘Supplementary guidance for inspectors on Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship in schools.’ The supplementary guidance is structured around the seven suggested themes identified by UNESCO as part of the ‘ Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’ and the Welsh Government’s, ‘Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship – A Common Understanding for Schools (2008) to help learners to study a range of ESDGC issues and relate these to key concepts.
Recommendations
Schools should:
- improve pupils’ understanding of the more complex ESDGC concepts identified in this report, including those relating to identity and culture;
- plan for the progressive development of pupils’ understanding of the seven ESDGC themes across the curriculum, and assess and track pupils’ development;
- plan for ESDGC to make a positive contribution to developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy;
- provide a variety of extra-curricular opportunities to support ESDGC;
- identify members of staff to have responsibility for co-ordinating and developing ESDGC across the school;
- provide appropriate training for teachers and other staff to help them to deliver ESDGC more effectively, including its more complex concepts; and
- ensure that governors receive training to enable them to support and challenge the school in delivering ESDGC.
Local authorities / regional consortia should:
- establish a directory of providers with good practice in ESDGC, which can be shared with schools; and
- provide training for governors to enable them to support and challenge schools appropriately in respect of ESDGC.