A UNIVERSITY of Reading initiative aimed at bringing climate science to young people is proving popular in educational institutions, new figures show.
Nine in ten schools, nurseries and colleges would recommend engaging with the government-funded Climate Ambassadors programme, according to statistics released this week.
It follows a survey which took place in July asking education settings about their experience engaging with programme in the 2025/2026 academic year.
The Climate Ambassadors programme, launched by the University of Reading, matches schools with volunteers who know and care about climate change and sustainability.
They offer free support and guidance to help education settings create and deliver effective climate action plans (CAPs).
The Department for Education expects every education setting in England to have one.
The scheme sees Climate Ambassadors volunteers come from a range of sectors and industries, including climate and sustainability, project management, governance and leadership, fundraising and community engagement, among many others, into educational settings.
Of the 168 settings surveyed, 92% would recommend it to other settings, and 81% of the responses confirmed that their engagement with the Climate Ambassadors programme was directly related to the creation or development of a climate action plan (CAP).
Figures also showed 85% of settings have said their engagement with a Climate Ambassadors volunteer met their expectations.
In survey feedback, education staff said volunteers were ‘supportive’, ‘knowledgeable’ and ‘responsive’.
One setting shared their volunteer “drafted work, worked with the children on carbon counting, attended a governor meeting, researched things eg on solar panels”.
Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez, Co-Lead of Climate Ambassadors at the University of Reading, said: “Climate action plans help schools, nurseries and colleges reduce their environmental impact, but they also put sustainability at the heart of everyday school life.
“Volunteers go into settings to bring this to life – from how their classrooms use energy to the green spaces their students enjoy and learn in. They provide support, connections to the wider community and inspiration for next steps.
He explained: “With the help of volunteers, climate action in education becomes normal, practical and possible.
“Together, education settings and our Climate Ambassadors shape how students see and experience sustainability, and make decisions for the years ahead.
“It’s encouraging that so many settings would recommend Climate Ambassadors, and we’re improving our online tools to make getting involved even easier.
“A huge thank you to our volunteers, who give their time and expertise for free to drive change across England.”
As part of the survey, a prize draw was offered to eligible settings, with the winner receiving £500 to spend towards their climate action.
Corrie Primary School in Tameside won the prize draw, and was awarded by Hannah Fitzpatrick, Delivery Manager, and Emilija Rudzinskaite, Communications Lead.
Lynda Appleton-Jones, Sustainability Lead, said: “We are excited to continue to develop our outdoor learning.
“The prize will allow us to purchase resources to enhance this provision, such as tools and outdoor clothing.”
The Climate Ambassadors programme now has over 1,500 active volunteers, and has engaged more than 4,000 education settings.
More information about the programme, including how to take part, is available via: reading.ac.uk/planet/climate-education/climate-ambassadors
