I was pleased to read the resources section of TES last week highlighting green issues (“The school turning over a new leaf”) and heralding the start of Fairtrade Fortnight. Climate Week from 4-10 March and Comic Relief on 15 March are also powerful opportunities to raise awareness of important issues. Although concerns over our impact on the planet have been with us for decades, our understanding of the seriousness of the situation is now so compelling that we all share the need to act. The Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) is committed to this imperative. The Education for Social Responsibility initiative we are developing promotes the knowledge, skills and values required for a more sustainable future, and encourages schools to act in more responsible ways and to ensure pupils are prepared for the changing world they face. Our commitment has led us to become a member of the Sustainable Schools Alliance management board. Through the alliance, IAPS is seeking to place sustainability and social responsibility at the heart of the curriculum.

Neil Jones, Head, St Joseph’s in the Park, and IAPS subject adviser for Education for Social Responsibility.