Key Points:
- Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announces recipients of £2.9m Greener Schools programme
- 38 schools across 16 London boroughs selected for energy-saving upgrades
- Councils contributing an additional £9.6m in funding
- Upgrades include solar panels, heat pumps, insulation, LED lighting, and water-saving projects
- City Hall estimates £15,000 average annual energy savings per school
- Scheme aims to cut carbon emissions and support London’s 2030 net-zero target
- Mayor says the programme could save over £50m annually if expanded across all London schools
- Project has influenced the national Great British Energy initiative
- Headteachers praise the scheme for supporting sustainability and education budgets
£2.9m Greener Schools funding to boost energy efficiency in 38 London schools. The Mayor of London has announced the 38 schools that will benefit from the city’s new Greener Schools programme, a £2.9 million pilot scheme designed to slash carbon emissions, reduce energy bills, and promote environmental sustainability across London’s education sector.
The initiative, unveiled by Mayor Sadiq Khan during a visit to Stoke Newington School in North London, will fund the installation of solar panels, heat pumps, insulation, LED lighting and water conservation systems across selected schools in 16 boroughs.
City Hall has estimated that schools could save around £15,000 annually in energy costs through these upgrades. An additional £9.6 million has been pledged by local councils to expand the impact of the pilot.
Which London schools are receiving Greener Schools funding?
The 38 schools selected span boroughs including Barking and Dagenham, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, and Westminster.
The full list includes:
- Barking and Dagenham: Hunters Hall, Village Infants’, William Bellamy
- Barnet: Wessex Gardens
- Camden: Agar Children’s Centre, Regent High, Torriano Primary
- Enfield: Capel Manor, Durants, Garfield Primary
- Hackney: Lauriston Primary
- Haringey: The Brook, The Willow, Risley Avenue
- Islington: Drayton Park, Laycock, Richard Cloudesley, Rotherfield, Vittoria
- Kensington and Chelsea: Avondale Park, St Anne’s & Avondale Park Nursery, Bevington, Colville
- Lambeth: Elm Court
- Lewisham: Baring, Stillness Infants and Juniors
- Newham: Central Park, Plashet, Roman Road
- Southwark: Bird-in-Bush
- Tower Hamlets: Bangabandhu, Bonner
- Waltham Forest: Belmont Park, Greenleaf
- Wandsworth: Garratt Park, Smallwood
- Westminster: Essendine, Hallfield, Queen’s Park
What impact will the Greener Schools scheme have?
Sadiq Khan said the programme not only helps reduce environmental impact but also frees up school budgets. “This investment will help schools reduce their energy costs, so they can spend more on vital resources such as books, technology and staff,” he stated.
He also noted that it would contribute significantly to cutting emissions in the capital, adding: “Working with the boroughs, we’ve been able to leverage a further £9.6m to fund more vital projects… helping to meet our target of achieving net zero by 2030.”
How does this programme relate to the national climate agenda?
City Hall officials confirmed the pilot has inspired elements of the UK government’s new Great British Energy project, which plans to install solar panels on 200 schools and 200 hospitals nationwide.
Khan expressed hope that the Greener Schools initiative could be adopted at a national level. “If all of London’s schools adopted these energy-saving measures, the education system could save more than £50 million each year,” he said.
What are schools saying about the initiative?
Executive headteacher Helen Bruckdorfer of the Brecknock and Torriano Federation in Camden said the programme would bring long-term value. “This funding will help us enhance energy efficiency and implement sustainable solutions, such as solar PV and LED lighting,” she said.
She praised the partnership between Camden Council and local schools, calling it “a significant step toward a greener, more sustainable future.”
Rachel Carli, headteacher at Durants School in Enfield, added that the support aligns closely with her school’s environmental goals: “We are committed to supporting the health of our planet, and this funding will play a pivotal role in advancing the goals outlined in the Enfield Schools Climate Action Plan.”
