The Old Station Nursery Launches New Energy Behaviour Policy and Energy Champions Pilot

These initiatives form a key part of the group’s environmental strategy and support its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) objectives, which include reducing energy waste, improving operational efficiency, and embedding sustainable thinking into everyday nursery practice.

About the Energy Behaviour Policy

The Energy Behaviour Policy outlines a group-wide approach to energy management, setting out clear expectations for reducing energy consumption across all nurseries and support offices. It has been designed to encourage sustainable behaviours among staff and to model environmentally responsible practices for the children in their care.

The policy includes practical, day-to-day actions that promote energy efficiency, such as:

• Switching off lights and electrical devices when not in use
• Managing heating, lighting and ventilation more thoughtfully
• Reducing unnecessary water usage
• Encouraging low-impact resource use and sustainable food practices
• Involving children in eco-conscious routines through initiatives like the Planet Protectors Club

The policy is being implemented across all settings within the group and plays a vital role in how The Old Station Nursery reports on and measures its environmental impact.

Introducing the Energy Champions Pilot

Alongside the policy, The Old Station Nursery is launching a pilot scheme to trial the Energy Champion role in 13 of its nurseries.

The Energy Champions Pilot is designed to test the implementation of focused, in-setting leadership around energy efficiency. Participating nurseries will nominate an Energy Champion who will receive training and support to lead energy-saving initiatives.

Champions will also be introduced to a new Energy Monitoring System (EMS), which will support real-time tracking and reporting of energy performance across each pilot nursery.

Key Components of the Pilot

The pilot will focus on several key areas:

• Training staff in energy-saving techniques and regulations such as ESOS (Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme) and SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting)
• Using EMS data to identify trends, waste points and improvement opportunities
• Embedding low-energy habits into the daily routines of nursery teams
• Supporting the group’s wider environmental goals through behaviour-led change
• These pilot nurseries will help shape the group-wide rollout of the Energy Champion model, providing valuable insights into what works best in the early years education setting.

Embedding Sustainability in Early Years

With sustainability becoming an increasingly important focus across the education sector, The Old Station Nursery’s initiatives reflect a long-term commitment to environmentally responsible practice.

By combining policy development, behaviour change, and data-led insights, the Energy Behaviour Policy and Energy Champions Pilot aim to create a replicable model for sustainable operations in early years settings.

These efforts are aligned with the group’s wider ESG strategy and reflect its ambition to lead by example in reducing the environmental footprint of early years education.