10. PESAJE
10.7. Utilizando el coeficiente de compensación del empuje del aire
recent first; see Appendix 1) 3(3) 3(2) 2
5.2: QAC: Themes Arising from Data
5.2.1 Main Themes
Data analysis for QAC resulted in themes that were similar to those found in
Underwhin data. They are again loosely categorised into three areas: category ‘Priority Given to Sustainability’, ‘Areas of Strength with Regard to Sustainability’
and ‘Behaviour/Leadership.
5.2.2 Sustainability in the Taught Curriculum
The fact that sustainability in the taught curriculum came up so often in the QAC
interviews indicates that participants were able to talk about it at some length;
however, it also indicates that some participants were already considering how
much sustainability was integrated when I visited – and whether it could be further integrated. This specific question was already ‘on the radar’ of some
participants when I interviewed them. The Head of Geography, ‘Greg’, said that
it was “hard to think of” a bigger priority in curriculum planning in his subject
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schools. Another staff member, ‘Antony’, describing a different department,
said:
“I know that within [Technology]…sustainability is really built into every aspect of what they teach…it’s fundamental.”
Although it was prominent in interviews with Science teachers too, sustainability
is not so apparent in some other subjects: in Mathematics, for example, the Head of Department, ‘Alan’, explained that his department simply did not cover
sustainability in taught lessons. This suggests a ‘mosaic’ quality to the culture
at QAC regarding the integration of sustainability into the curriculum, according to Meyerson & Martin’s ideas (1987; see Section 5.3.2).
That many of my interviewees at QAC were able to discuss how subjects
included sustainability gives some idea of the priority given to sustainability in
the school: people were already thinking about it before I interviewed them, so it
must have had some importance at the school. Of course, some of these
interviewees were selected for interview because they were likely to have such
knowledge and understanding of the situation and/or were suggested by other
members of the school, so they are not necessarily representative of the ‘typical’ school member. However, I also spoke to school staff who work in
areas not immediately related to sustainability (Mathematics, for example), and
the fact that many interviewees were able to suggest ways in which integration
could go much further also confirms that, while sustainability is fairly widely
taught at QAC – much more so than at Underwhin – there is plenty of room for it
to be taught more.
The classroom culture at QAC, based on what I saw and lesson plans I
collected there, was largely similar to that at Underwhin. Students were heavily
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of ‘what’ the topic of immigration was developed into a discussion of ‘why’ it
happened; in L2d, one student raised the idea of ‘collective responsibility’ when
discussing pollution) and often contributing to the generation of a base of
knowledge at the start of the lesson from which the rest of the lesson was
developed. I chose to observe a Yr 7 lesson, hoping to see what effect the
cross-curricular emphasis in this year had. Students here were reminded that
they were looking for the impacts on the lives of real people of the events they
discussed (see L2e). Furthermore, they were encouraged to think of the lesson
in terms of an opportunity for them to find out information, rather than one
where the teacher passed it on to them.
Although there was no sign of a pedagogy specifically developed around
sustainability, both of these types of pedagogic practice seemed to me to be
fitting with a school approaching sustainability in a positive way (and students in
L2e were well aware of why they were asked to change working partners after a break in the lesson, able to answer their teacher’s question on the topic). No
doubt students’ experiences of sustainability varied depending on the teachers
they came into contact with and the subjects they chose to study, as, for
example, Geography was optional in KS4 (see Chapter 2), but the school
offered Environmental Science as an A-Level to KS5 students, which is unusual
(Vidal Rodeiro & Sutch, 2013): this suggests a particular focus on environmental – and by extension, sustainability – topics in the school.
5.2.3 Internal Critics
Not all participants were impressed by the school’s record with regard to
integrating sustainability into the taught curriculum, or with the wider approach to sustainability at QAC. Students’ criticism tended to focus on the difference
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between their behaviour at home and that at school (in terms of switching off
lights and computers, and recycling, for example). Teachers mentioned being
questioned by their pupils about the differences and the lack of variety of
recycling facilities at school compared to the variety of materials that could be
recycled from home. Students also expressed the opinion that the school was
not a good role model for them, and that, to a certain extent, there was a
difference between what they were told in school and how the school actually
behaved: lights being left on, for example, when they were regularly given the
message that energy should be conserved. Winter (2008) and Gayford (2009)
are clear that there should be concordance between home and school where ‘messages’ about sustainability are concerned; Symons (2008) and Birney &
Reed (2009) are among those who assert that schools must show by their
actions that sustainability is a priority if it is to succeed.
Staff critics tended to mention a lack of internal communication about
sustainability (they did not know what was going on in this area, or felt that
achievements were not publicised enough): poor communication is a problem
Gayford (2009) describes as a barrier to sustainability in schools. Staff also
mentioned difficulties in getting things done (two in particular mentioned the
bureaucracy involved in making changes to their practice in the school). Some
also mentioned that they felt that there was not an overview of sustainability at
the school (another thing Symons (2008) sees as essential to sustainability in
schools), and others expressed the opinion that there was a reliance on certain
individuals to work on sustainability at QAC. These two criticisms are obviously
not the same thing, but if individuals were working on their own and there was
no overview of sustainability in the school, both problems would be
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‘Gareth’, a Science teacher referred to by other staff members as one of the
school’s sustainability leaders, said:
“As far as I’m concerned, no-one looks at the bigger picture [of sustainability in the school]”.
Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors, Richard, acknowledged that there was
no overall policy, and Roy, a member of the Environment and Sustainability
Group (see below) invited from an external body expressed the opinion that
there was no culture of sustainability in QAC. Reference to the literature
reviewed in Chapter 2 shows that this problem is by no means confined to QAC
(see Sections 2.2-2.5).
Antony commented on the perception that it was only certain individuals who
were working on sustainability in QAC,
“The people who are interested [in doing something towards sustainability in this school] are the ones who are already doing
loads…as it is” (emphasis in original).
Antony also noted that the same is true of students. Sustainability and environmental education have suffered from a reliance on ‘one keen teacher’ in
schools in the past, but it is interesting to think of student participation in the
same terms: some work at it, and when they leave, their legacy is reduced if no
other students continue this work, just as happens with staff.
Against these perceptions, however, should be placed a significant caveat.
Gareth, who described, in critical terms, the lack of an overview also, when
asked about the attitude of the school leadership towards sustainability, unhesitatingly answered: “Positive…they have a high regard for it.” ‘Brooke’, a
member of the school management team and the chair of the Environment and Sustainability Group (see p.90), said of the school’s attitude towards
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sustainability, “It is very important to us”. It is conceivable that there is no
overview of sustainability and that it is not a major part of QAC’s culture, but
even internal critics recognise that sustainability is an issue the school
leadership is aware of and considers to be important. Perhaps the school has
not engaged with it as fully as it might, and certainly not as fully as some critics
would like. Breiting et al. (2005), Symons (2008) and Gayford (2009) all make
the point, in slightly different contexts, that engaging with sustainability means
taking action (see Sections 2.4-2.5). Jackson & WWF (2007) note that schools
often have difficulty in acting despite being aware that sustainability is
important; Scott (2002) notes that schools – of course – have other priorities, and the theme of ‘initiative overload’, where schools are inundated with so many
requirements that they find it difficult to know which to act upon, is widespread
in the literature on this subject (see Sections 2.2-2.5).
5.2.4 Resources Committed to Sustainability Projects
There are areas where the school has acted: for example, there is widespread
recognition, among staff and governors, at least, that the school has appointed
four members of staff responsible for, or working on, aspects of sustainability
and related issues. A one-year Garden Supervisor post was financed through a
grant from an external source, and has made a great impact on the school (the Garden Supervisor, ‘Pippa’, was mentioned in a very positive light by pupils
too). This was the result, in turn, of appointing a new member of staff to raise
money for sustainability-related projects in the school. This latter member of
staff, Antony, spoken about with great respect by several others, has secured
more than £350,000 for the school, mostly for infrastructure projects to install
alternative sources of heat and electricity (and for the auditing and planning
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remission for duties working on overseas links and on using the garden in the
taught curriculum. All four have specific briefs, rather than taking an overall coordinators’ role or leading on sustainability across the school as a whole: no
one had ‘sustainability’ as their job, but Antony and Pippa were able to focus all
their time on their sustainability-related activities, having no duties aside from
these.
Interviewees talked about the school’s renewable energy sources a great deal.
More than one, including the Principal, ‘Sophie’, mentioned the renewables in
terms of their being a signal of intent from the school: investing such a large amount of money, time and staff resources symbolised the school’s
commitment to sustainability, and the resulting solar cells and biomass boiler
are very visible signs of this. Inviting members of the local press (along with
representatives of companies involved in this and the biomass boiler, local councillors, governors, staff and pupils) to attend an ‘opening’ day for the solar
panels was also an overt and very public way of declaring the school’s interest
in the area.
However, some participants questioned the policy of focusing on renewable
energy. Their argument was that this should be set alongside the school’s relative ‘failure’ to integrate sustainability into the taught curriculum (outside of a
few strong areas) and/or to focus on encouraging changes in the behaviour of members of the school. Again, it is worth making the points that: participants’
criticisms of the school suggest that they have reasonably sophisticated
understandings of sustainability (in order to be able to criticise); and that they
care about it (enough to want change), and, further, that sustainability is an
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Another link between money raised for sustainability projects in QAC and the
issue of sustainability in the curriculum was the use of the school campus (as
mentioned above) in different contexts, including its use as a resource for
teaching. There is a definite tradition of using the campus in teaching at QAC:
enough students, staff (teaching and non-teaching), governors and parents
mentioned outdoor lessons, using the garden or other areas of the grounds, to
suggest that it happens regularly. Gareth talked about his ambition to map, into
schemes of work, the opportunities to use the school garden in teaching. Some
have tried to link teaching to the relatively new renewable energy sources on
site: Antony worked with the Maths Department to produce a spreadsheet of
energy consumption that could be used (although it was not being used when I
visited) in teaching, for example. This is also an area that several interviewees
mentioned as ripe for improvement: the opportunity is there but not being fully used – yet.
The school also has an area (alongside the garden) set aside for outdoor learning in a ‘Forest School’31
. It was not being used in that capacity when I
visited, as the member of staff responsible for Forest School work was ill, but
that the area is set aside is significant in itself. As mentioned earlier, QAC also
applied for, and obtained, money to employ a member of staff as a Garden
Supervisor, developing ways in which the garden could be used, increasing the
number of students involved, and also increasing the amount of produce the
garden generated. I suggest that this is another obvious commitment to
sustainability (perhaps not as obvious as installing 100+ solar panels, but clear,
nonetheless).
31
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The Garden Supervisor is no longer working at QAC (funding was secured for a
fixed term only), but her work has been continued piecemeal by Gareth among
others. The latest project to involve the garden is work to try to increase
biodiversity across the campus: this has resulted in planting trees and the
erection of bird boxes, among other things. However, many participants also
mentioned problems with the campus site: the fact that it is split by a busy road;
problems with drainage all over the campus; and the age and condition of some
buildings. These problems militate against the school focusing more on
sustainability, not only because they make it harder to be sustainable (old
buildings lack insulation, for example), but because the campus requires a great
deal of money to maintain (which could otherwise, potentially at least, be spent on sustainability). The need for – and lack of – money was cited by the majority
of participants who answered questions on barriers to the school focusing more
on sustainability. The high number of interviewees who mentioned site
problems suggests that it is an issue many in the school are aware of, and all
these barriers are commonly found in schools according to the NGO literature
on sustainability in schools (see Section 2.4).
5.2.5 Relationship with the Local Community
A further influence on QAC is the local area, which, according to many interviewees, is known for its positive attitude towards ‘green’ behaviour and
technologies. Some staff members speculated that their students were
positively influenced towards sustainability by their families and peers in the
local community – perhaps more so than by their school. This raises an
interesting question about whether the school is a role model for the local community (as prescribed in government literature describing ‘the sustainable
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direction. Certainly, Parent Governor ‘Nancy’, when I asked her directly
whether she thought the school was a role model for the community, where
sustainability is concerned, volunteered the opinion that the community was
more of a role model for the school – the local community was “far in advance”
of the school in terms of practical measures (despite the thousands of pounds
invested by the school in renewable energy). However, another non-staff interviewee, ‘Roy’ (an invited member of the Environment and Sustainability
Group) saw the strong influence on QAC from the local community in a less
critical way:
“there’s a lot of influence from the outside allowed and welcomed in…[the school is] tremendously integrating [sic] with local society” (my emphasis).
Written and interview sources both indicate that the school is very conscious of
its relationship with the local community, as recommended by Symons (2008)
and in the SSF (see Sections 2.3-2.4): Maths teacher Alan described what he saw as the school leadership’s strong focus on “trying to get [QAC] as a centre
for [‘Corkham’]”. Local newspapers’ stories about the school are displayed
prominently (in a main corridor of the main building on the central campus, and
again in the reception area of the Sixth Form building), and many of these
feature sustainability themes, such as sustainability in the curriculum, pupils
forming sustainable businesses, trips to partner schools and visits by overseas
guests. Of course, this may not be entirely altruistic: good links with the local
community will help the school to recruit students as well as being a benefit in terms of sustainability. ‘Karen’, the teacher responsible for links with overseas
schools, felt that links with the local community were “not as great as [they]
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The Eco-Schools and International School Awards mentioned above have been
accompanied by the school receiving certificates, displayed around the school:
unsurprising, but nevertheless, a public show of commitment to pursuing
elements of sustainability. I came across more examples of this during my visit.
The 32-page glossy School Magazine is published termly, and I saw two
editions during my visit. I counted four articles on sustainability themes in one
volume (the School’s ‘Green Day’, an update on the Garden Project, a Workshop with the local AONB and a local artist, and the Catering Manager’s
column, which mentioned recycling and food from the Garden), and two more dealing with links with the local community in a broad sense (links with the ‘Old
Pupils’ association, and calls for applicants to the Board of Governors). In the
second edition, 40 articles are listed in the ‘Contents’, if the editorials are
included, and at least 10 of these could be described as relating to sustainability
at QAC (they included articles on the new biomass boiler – also mentioned in the Principal’s Editorial piece – visits to the Centre for Alternative Technology,
The Eden Project, a local zoo and a nature reserve, the school’s ‘Creative Day’,
themed around ‘culture’, the International School Award, an Apple Pressing Day
and wildlife in the School Garden).
I looked carefully for signs of social sustainability at QAC, and both interview and ‘written’ sources showed that QAC considers links with the local community
to be very important. Displays all over the school featured fliers for nearby events and clubs, and ‘all staff’ emails included two invitations to screenings of
sustainability-related films and an invitation to plant trees locally. This link with the local community was highlighted as successful in the school’s most recent
Ofsted Report, which contained praise for QAC’s contribution to community
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in the centre of the community. In an overall Grade 3, the school scored 1 for the effectiveness with which it “promotes community cohesion”, and 1 for the
extent to which “pupils contribute to the school and wider community”. It seems