DET Dispatch

Dear Colleague,

Welcome to this edition of our staff newsletter, where I am pleased to share some updates on capital works that have been completed and are programmed across Trust schools to provide energy efficient building solutions that will help reduce our carbon footprint in line with our sustainability and climate action plan linked below.

During the year 2025 - 2026 we have continued our investment into LED lighting at all Trust schools. All schools are now either wholly or part LED throughout and where schools are part LED we aim to provide the full solution by the end of this academic year. LED lighting is an energy efficient solution that uses 75% - 90% less energy and lasts up to 25 to 50 times longer than traditional incandescent and halogen light bulbs. Therefore we are reducing both our spend on energy and the carbon footprint across our schools.

Following completion of our LED work we will be commencing a programme of photovoltaic (solar panel) installations across our schools. This investment will provide solutions that allow us to convert sunlight directly into energy at our schools which will further reduce our spend on electricity and our carbon footprint. Our next photovoltaic installation will be completed at Croxley Danes School in October - November 2026, this installation is estimated to provide an annual cost saving of £13,762 per year and a reduction of 13.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.

The exceptional heat waves that we experienced during summer 2026 demonstrate the importance of our ongoing investment into climate and sustainability initiatives alongside building climate resilience and adaptation into our schools buildings. Whilst there is no quick or easy fix to maintaining reasonable and comfortable temperatures within our buildings during such heat waves we will continue to explore opportunities and deliver solutions where possible that will help manage ventilation and overheating.

We look forward to sharing further updates on our sustainability and climate work with you in the future. In the meantime, please enjoy the following updates which showcase the brilliant work already taking place across our schools.

With best wishes

Dominic Richards
Chief Operating Officer

Making the difference together

Read our sustainability and climate action plan >>

Phase 2 Complete: LED Refurbishment at Elstree Screen Arts Technical College

We’re delighted to announce the successful completion of Phase 2 of the LED refurbishment at Elstree Screen Arts Academy. The project continues our commitment to creating more energy-efficient, sustainable learning environments, replacing existing lighting with modern LED technology. The refurbishment will help reduce energy consumption and associated carbon emissions, while providing improved, high-quality lighting for pupils and staff across the college

Coming Soon: EV Charging Points Across the Trust

Thanks to a successfully secured government grant, we are delighted to share that we are currently installing EV charging points at all schools across the Trust. This initiative supports our ongoing commitment to sustainability and helps empower our staff to make greener travel choices.

Works are currently in progress, with installations taking place site-by-site over the coming months. The new charging points will be available for staff use as soon as installation and testing are complete at your location.

Modernising energy systems

St Clement Danes has officially begun the process of replacing its outdated oil boilers after successfully appointing a specialist consultancy firm to lead the project. Working in close partnership with the school, the team is identifying and installing high-efficiency, sustainable heating solutions to significantly reduce energy consumption and lower carbon emissions across the site.

Harnessing solar energy across our Trust schools

As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint, we are thrilled to share the latest progress on solar panel installations across our schools. By generating clean, renewable energy directly on site, we are taking significant steps toward a greener, more sustainable future for the entire Trust.

Following the successful installation of solar panels at St Clement Danes last summer, the system is already making a tangible difference. Having generated 80.5 MWh of clean energy this year, and 92.7 MWh since launching in August 2025, the panels have saved approximately £22,000 in electricity costs while cutting 17,900 kg of CO₂ emissions, a environmental reduction equivalent to planting over 1,000 mature trees or driving a standard petrol car for more than 44,000 miles.

Solar panel installations are already present in a number of trust schools and we look forward to further developments across including at Croxley Danes School where work is scheduled to take place throughout October and November to further expand our renewable energy network.