
TOMORROW’S CLIMATE SCIENTISTS – researchers’ page
Royal Society Partnership Programme
A programme funded by the Royal Society
For researchers: work with a primary school in South Yorkshire to investigate an age-appropriate theme of climate change and sustainability
For information for schools, please see the schools’ page.
Audience: Researchers and Lecturers (including PhD students) in Sheffield Hallam University and University of Sheffield who have an interest in climate change and sustainability
Research topics: Air quality, energy generation, energy efficiency, flood management and biodiversity (you do not need to be an expert in any of these topics to participate)
Programme outline
February-March 2025
- CPD researcher training – 1-hour online training and 2-hour virtual workshop (delivered by the Climate Ambassadors programme)
- CPD with your allocated teacher – 1 day face to face training and planning at Sheffield Hallam University
April-July 2025 (dates to be agreed between pair)
- 3 in school activities with your teacher partner/students (up to 2 hours)
- 2 virtual activities with your teacher partner/students (up to an hour)
- Ongoing support, as required from a mentor at SHU
Autumn 2025
- Information session to apply for further funding
Researcher commitments
- Researcher to attend online and face to face training sessions
- Participate in 5 activities with their teacher partner
- Meet with a mentor mid-programme
- Engage with surveys and evaluation of the programme
Researchers will be asked to select preferred training dates and a preferred research topic on signing up.
Researchers will be able to claim up £75 for travel expenses, however we are unable to fund academic time. You will need to sign up to become a Climate Ambassador and complete a DBS check.
Further funding is available to apply for a Partnership Grant from the Royal Society once you have completed this programme.
Sign up using this link by Friday 31 Jan 2025


TOMORROW’S CLIMATE SCIENTISTS – schools’ page
Royal Society Partnership Programme
A programme funded by the Royal Society
For schools: Work with your students and a researcher from Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) or the University of Sheffield to investigate an age-appropriate theme of climate change and sustainability
For information for researchers please see the researchers’ page.
Audience: Primary school teachers (including infant and junior schools) in South Yorkshire
Research topics: Air quality, energy generation, energy efficiency, flood management and biodiversity
Programme outline
February-March 2025
April-July 2025 (dates to be agreed between pair)
- 3 in school activities with your researcher and students (up to 2 hours)
- 2 virtual activities with your researcher and students (up to an hour)
- Ongoing support, as required from a mentor at SHU
- CPD teacher training – 2-hour virtual twilight workshop
- CPD with your allocated researcher – 1 day face to face training and planning at Sheffield Hallam University
Autumn 2025
- Information session to apply for further funding
School commitments
- A member of staff to attend twilight and training session
- Participate in 5 activities with their class and researcher
- Meet with a mentor mid-programme
- Engage with surveys and evaluation of the programme
School staff will be asked to select preferred training dates and research topic. We will endeavour to match you with a researcher interested in the same research topic.
Schools will receive £300 to cover supply costs as well as project equipment loan. Researchers will be trained on how to work with schools (via the Climate Ambassadors) and will hold a valid DBS.
Further funding is available to apply for a Partnership Grant from the Royal Society once you have completed this programme.
Sign up using this link by Friday 31 Jan 2025


Free access to Energy Sparks for selected Sheffield schools – helping your school save energy

Energy Sparks is a charity that offers a unique school-specific energy management tool and education programme. Using a school’s electricity, gas and solar data, Energy Sparks shows pupils and staff how much energy the school is using each day. The online tool presents bespoke analysis of the energy data with suggestions of actions the school community could take to save energy and reduce the school’s carbon emissions.
Energy Sparks can currently offer its services free of charge for one year to Sheffield schools that meet at least one of the following criteria:
- >30% free school meals or
- >20% SEN or
- (>22%) English as an additional language pupils
The funded offer includes access to the Energy Sparks energy management tool and education resources, weekly emailed energy use alerts, webinar training for staff on school energy management and using Energy Sparks with your pupils, email support, and a half-day in-school education workshop.
Schools that don’t meet the above criteria can join Energy Sparks for £545 + VAT per year.
Find out more
Watch the introductory video to learn more about what Energy Sparks offers schools. Or book a demo session at https://energysparks.uk/find-out-more
Example dashboards
Take a look at the dashboards for some of the participating schools to understand how Energy Sparks can help you take control of your energy use and involve the whole school community in carbon reduction.
Example adult dashboard
Example pupil dashboard
Impact
Explore case studies that showcase some of the ways that Energy Sparks schools have saved energy and improved their pupils’ energy and climate literacy.
The average Energy Sparks primary saved at least £3,000 off their energy bill over the 2022/2023 school year and 12.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide, the average secondary saved at least £12,000 and 48 tonnes of CO2.
Join a demo or register your interest at https://energysparks.uk/find-out-more
Tiny Forests
> Quick Link – Tiny Forest – expression of interest

Tiny Forests are dense, fast-growing areas of woodland planted with the aims of reconnecting people with nature, mitigating the effects of climate change and creating nature-rich habitat patches in urban environments.
Why do we need Tiny Forests
Environmental issues such as flooding, heat stress and loss of biodiversity are increasingly affecting urban areas.
Creating thriving and climate-resilient urban areas that support economic growth, whilst also enhancing livelihoods and wellbeing, is a considerable challenge.
Tiny Forest can play a part in facing this challenge. They bring the benefits of a forest – reconnecting people with nature and raising awareness, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, as well as providing nature-rich habitat patches to support urban wildlife – right into the heart of our cities and urban spaces.
Help mitigate the effects of the climate crisis, one Tiny Forest at a time.
What is a Tiny Forest?
- A Tiny Forest is a dense fast-growing native woodland, based on an established forest management method developed in the 1970s by Dr Akira Miyawaki.
- Environmental and social data is collected for every forest we plant, this helps us assess the benefits they provide over time and between different forests.
- 600 trees planted densely in a tennis-court size plot, maximising benefits per m2 of land
- Planting method encourages accelerated forest development and uses no chemicals or fertilisers
- Low management and maintenance requirements after the first two years
- Rich biodiversity, capable of attracting over 500 animal and plant species within the first 3 years
- A nature-rich accessible green space and outdoor classroom for people to reconnect with nature
- Monitoring data gathered by citizen scientists to help understand how Tiny Forests develop, and quantify the climate benefits
- Links to business sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and environmental, social corporate governance (ESG)
How can we use Tiny Forests in schools?
Tiny Forests are a fantastic way to engage young people with the environment. The school community can be involved in the planting and maintenance of the forest. There is a space left as an outdoor classroom to encourage further use of the Tiny Forest in years to come.
Would you like a Tiny Forest in your school or college grounds?
Tiny Forests are a fantastic way to engage young people with the environment. The school community can be involved in the planting and maintenance of the forest. There is a space left as an outdoor classroom to encourage further use of the Tiny Forest in years to come
We are currently identifying potential funding which would cover the cost of implementing Tiny Forests in school grounds. To help understand demand and capacity, if you would like to be considered for a Tiny Forest in your school or college please complete this short eForm.
Carbon Literacy
Carbon Literacy is an awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.
The course is the equivalent of one days learning and is best delivered face to face, but can be done over half days or one full day.
At Sheffield Hallam we are using a teacher and governor course, and student course to help individuals to understand their carbon footprint and take action on climate change in an education setting context.
For more information or find out when the course will be launched for teachers and governors please see below
To find out what staff and students think about the course please take a look at these YouTube videos.
For more information please email Lee Jowett, L.Jowett@shu.ac.uk