Oxford International Curriculum brings sustainability into the classroom 

We’re helping teachers bring sustainability into the classroom with the launch of the Oxford International Curriculum for Sustainability

This new addition offers teachers a way to inspire children when talking about sustainability. The curriculum, supported by lesson plans and other resources to bring it to life, focuses on the importance of inspiring children about the change they can make to build a more sustainable world.  

Wellbeing remains at the heart of the Oxford International Curriculum (OIC).  To address the risk of climate anxiety among children, we put the emphasis on how no change is too small to make an impact, from everyday decisions to bigger collective action.  

How we put our curriculum together 

Teachers told us they want to teach sustainability, but are concerned about the practicalities of how to do so. Students are passionate about “going green” and want to have the knowledge and skills to live sustainably and pursue green careers. We also know that reducing climate anxiety and offering hope is key.  

Guided by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, we worked with subject matter experts including Jaimie P. Cloud, a pioneer in the field and our curriculum developer, as well as teachers Jody Ellenby and Rebecca Tudor and a range of external experts from academia and beyond.  

The curriculum has three domains which reoccur and build each year for years 1 to 9: 

• Taking responsibility for the difference we make   
• Living on Planet Earth 
• Making change. 

The interdisciplinary curriculum follows a project-based methodology covering Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) subjects.  

We believe it is important that everyone has access to quality information about sustainability, so our resources are designed to cater for a variety of learning styles – both in print and online. This includes digital books, lesson plans, professional development as well as print project books and teacher’s guides.  

What this means for teachers 

Matthew Davidson, Head of the Oxford International Curriculum at OUP, said “72% of international school teachers we surveyed told us that they do not use any published resources to teach Sustainability, but the majority (89%) would like to. I’m really excited for teachers to try out our new curriculum as we’re confident that it will help teachers and learners both flourish and take better care of our planet.” 

If you’d like to find out more, explore the Oxford International Curriculum resources.