Education Today Education Today Magazine
The daily school run is the single biggest source of carbon emissions associated with England’s schools, according to the first national Count Your Carbon report, published today by Eco-Schools and Keep Britain Tidy. The findings arrive as schools across England are expected to have Climate Action Plans in place under the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, which includes a target to cut school emissions by 50% by 2030.
The report shows that pupil commuting accounts for 21% of a school’s total carbon footprint, making it the largest individual contributor – ahead of electricity use, which represents 11%, and any other single emission category. When expanded to include staff travel, school vehicles and school trips, transport generates around 40% of total school emissions. Taken together, this means that the full transport footprint of a school now outweighs the emissions from heating and powering its buildings, which together make up 27%.
The hot school dinner emerges as one of the most significant contributors to emissions within the school gates – and the largest individual contributor for primary schools – accounting for around 16% of a school’s carbon footprint (rising to 21% for primary schools). With 73% of meals recorded as omnivorous, 23% vegetarian and only 4% plant-based, the report suggests that small adjustments towards plant-forward menus could have a meaningful impact on overall emissions, providing a direct and practical route for schools to make measurable progress for climate action.
Drawing on data from more than 1,600 primary and secondary schools, the Count Your Carbon report provides the most comprehensive picture to date of emissions across England’s education sector. The findings challenge long-held assumptions that school carbon footprints are driven mainly by buildings and energy use, and point instead to everyday operational decisions – particularly around travel, food and procurement – that sit at the heart of school life and community engagement.
As a whole, secondary schools record the highest total emissions due to their size and operational complexity, with a typical secondary emitting 1,031 tCO₂e per year, the equivalent of almost 300 economy return flights from London to Hong Kong, and five times more total carbon than the average primary (204 tCO₂e).
Rising car dependency, longer travel distances and limited alternatives mean the carbon cost of getting pupils to school has quietly overtaken some of the most energy-intensive activities within the school itself. Currently, across all school types, an average of 42% of pupils travel by car and only 9% utilise public transport, indicating that coordinated action with local authorities and transport planners is needed to reduce emissions.
Energy use within the school buildings adds significantly to emissions, with electricity contributing 11%. The fact that only 15% of schools are currently purchasing 100% renewable electricity suggests a real opportunity for schools to reduce their carbon footprint further by switching providers/tariffs. Encouragingly, close to 22% of schools indicated onsite self-generation of renewable electricity – such as via solar panels. Fuel contributes a further 16%, with 87% of schools relying on gas as their primary heating source, emphasising the ongoing importance of building energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation initiatives in educational settings.
While capital investment in buildings remains important, the report shows that many of the emissions schools are responsible for, particularly travel, food and procurement, sit outside of traditional estates management and have historically been difficult to measure. Keep Britain Tidy and Eco-Schools’ Count Your Carbon tool is the UK’s first free, full-scope carbon footprint calculator, built for – and in collaboration with – nurseries, schools and colleges. It supports educational settings to calculate, understand, reduce and track carbon emissions. This gives schools the data they need to meet the DfE expectations, prioritise action and embed sustainability across leadership, operations and learning. Importantly, it also contains recommendations on how schools can take action to reduce carbon emissions, build a carbon reduction plan and monitor progress over time.
The data also highlights stark differences between communities. Rural schools have the highest carbon intensity (22 % higher than an urban school), producing almost one tonne (0.99) of CO₂ per pupil per year due to longer travel distances and limited alternatives to car travel. By contrast, suburban schools generate 0.84 and urban schools generate an average of 0.81 tCO₂e per pupil, reflecting shorter journeys and better access to public and active travel.
Under the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, which includes a target 50% reduction in schools’ carbon footprint by 2032, all schools in England were expected to have a Climate Action Plan in place by 2025. These plans must set out how schools will reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, promote sustainable travel, adapt to climate risks and make more sustainable procurement choices.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive at Keep Britain Tidy said: “Our inaugural Count Your Carbon report shows that schools have an extraordinary opportunity to lead on climate action through everyday changes that pupils can engage with directly. Schools often prioritise recycling, but to meaningfully address climate change they must focus more on transport, energy use and purchasing decisions.
“We’re urging every school to sign up to our free Count Your Carbon tool to empower them to cut emissions and protect their pupils’ futures. The tool simplifies complex data into clear, practical actions for schools and families. When young people see how their travel, meals and school environment affect the climate, they become powerful advocates for change.”
