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Laudato Si’: Caring for Our Common Home

At St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, we believe that caring for God’s creation is a core expression of our mission “With Jesus we live, love and learn.”
Inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, we teach our pupils that the Earth is a precious gift from God, entrusted to us to protect with love, gratitude and responsibility.

Stewardship is not just part of our curriculum—it is a way of life rooted in Catholic Social Teaching.

“The Earth is God’s gift to us, full of beauty and wonder. We are called to care for it with tenderness.” — Laudato Si’

Our Commitment to Eco Sustainability

Our Climate Action Plan  sets out the practical steps we take to care for creation, meeting the expectations of the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy.

1. Reducing Waste & Increasing Recycling

We work together to reduce waste through:

  • Recycling bins in every classroom

  • Food waste audits and improved catering routines

  • Weekly monitoring by the pupil Sustainability Team

The Sustainability Lead supports pupils in learning how small daily habits help protect the planet.

2. Reducing Energy Use

To lower our carbon footprint, we have introduced:

  • School-wide “switch-off” routines

  • We are investing in energy-efficient LED bulbs replacing older halogens over a three year period.

  • Responsible use of heating and ventilation/investment in more efficient heating systems.

These habits help pupils understand how caring for the Earth is a shared responsibility.

3. Environmental Curriculum

Environmental stewardship is embedded across the curriculum, especially in RE, Geography and Science. Pupils explore:

  • Stewardship

  • The story of Creation

  • Climate change

  • Global responsibility

  • Conservation

  • How local actions have global impact

This is strengthened through special themed days such as Earth Day which is lead by our Geography lead each year and serves as a Geography/RE cross curricula themed day focusing on messasged of enviromentalism and stewardship.

4. Biodiversity & Outdoor Learning

We increase biodiversity on our grounds by:

  • Maintaining and developing the Prayer Garden

  • Ensuring planting supports pollinators

  • Supporting the EYFS garden for hands-on growing

  • Using outdoor spaces for prayer, reflection and learning

Creation Day Displays

Every year we celebrate Creation Day, where classes produce large displays inspired by the Genesis creation story, Laudato Si’, and Catholic Social Teaching.

These displays:

  • Celebrate the beauty of God’s creation

  • Show how pupils interpret Scripture through art, colour and symbolism

  • Highlight themes such as light, water, land, plants, animals and humanity

  • Connect directly to stewardship, gratitude and the wonder of God’s world

The Prayer Garden, hall and corridors become visual reminders that creation is a gift—a gift we must protect.

Geography-Themed Earth Day

Each year we hold a whole-school Earth Day, led by staff and supported by our pupil Sustainability Team.
This day focuses on:

  • Climate justice

  • Global citizenship

  • Care for the oceans

  • Linking Science and Geography to Laudato Si’

  • Practical actions pupils can take at home and school

  • Understanding how faith calls us to protect the most vulnerable

Activities might include map work on global impacts, art inspired by ecosystems, letters to decision-makers, pledges for home and school, and outdoor environmental stewardship.

Earth Day reinforces our identity as stewards of creation who are called to protect our common home through both faith and action.

Pupil Leadership: Sustainability Team

Our pupil Sustainability Team works with our Sustainability Lead to:

  • Monitor recycling

  • Lead assemblies on stewardship

  • Support creation-themed liturgies

  • Help run eco-initiatives and Earth Day activities

Their leadership helps embed responsibility and care in the daily life of the school.

Climate Action Plan 2026

A Spiritual Commitment

Everything we do is rooted in the Gospel and the example of St Thérèse of Lisieux, who taught that small acts of love have great power.

At St Teresa’s, we teach that caring for creation is:

  • An act of discipleship

  • A work of mercy

  • A way of loving our neighbour, especially the poor

  • A response to God’s call to protect His gift to us

Our prayer and liturgy often include intentions for the climate, our oceans, our local environment and those affected by environmental injustice.

Together, We Care for Our Common Home

Through our daily habits, curriculum, prayer, pupil leadership and community action, we strive to live the call of Laudato Si’: to be protectors of creation, defenders of the vulnerable, and faith-filled stewards of God’s beautiful world.

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