Overview

1. Start with the big picture. Begin by reviewing any existing strategies or commitments your school, Trust, or Local Authority already has in place.
   1. Check for alignment: Does your organisation have a Climate Action Plan, sustainability strategy, or other long-term goals that your energy plan should support?
   2. Look for indirect links: Consider strategies that might not seem directly related to energy - such as wellbeing, health, or educational outcomes. Linking your energy actions to these wider priorities can strengthen the case for change and improve overall impact.
   3. Consider future changes: Think ahead about any significant changes planned for your school, such as new buildings, expansions, or major refurbishments. Incorporating energy considerations into these plans early can save costs and reduce carbon emissions in the long term.
2. Get your team together. An Energy Action Plan should have clear ownership by school leaders but also needs input from teaching staff, site team, finance, trustees or governors and pupils. Make sure that each action has a clear owner. Ensure appropriate user accounts have been set up on Energy Sparks and relevant users are receiving Energy Sparks alerts. Identify any users that might need training.
3. Define the scope of your targets. Identify any gaps in your energy use and other supporting data and whether they can be filled - for example by upgrading energy meters. 

1. Identify some of the bigger actions that will be needed in the long term, even if you don’t know exactly when they will be needed or what the solutions are. For example: a fossil fuel heating system will need to be replaced to meet a full decarbonisation target. Aim to replace a gas boiler when it is 15-20 years old. You will need to seek advice on options for replacement before the end of the boiler’s life.
2. Review your Energy Sparks data and analysis to identify the energy consumption challenges for your school. Energy Sparks alert notifications and analysis should be able to identify some quick, low-cost wins for your school.
   1. Identify your prioritised energy saving opportunities. Find these by clicking on “Energy Saving Opportunities” on the Adult Dashboard. This table can be sorted by opportunities that will save the most money or carbon.
   2. Each line in this table links to an adult advice page covering different energy saving topics, such as heating control and electricity baseload. Recommended actions and activities are shown at the bottom of each advice page. These actions can be added to your plan.
   3. Review your Energy Sparks alert notifications regularly.  These will also highlight potential areas of energy waste in your school. 
3. Identify any known issues at your school such as boiler faults or hard to heat areas. 
4. Identify any barriers to making progress. You might need external help to make changes to heating settings. You might need to apply for funding or seek professional advice.
5. Try to focus on the quick wins first and any actions that might help break down any barriers. Where possible, break the longer term actions into more manageable pieces.
6. Identify whether you need more information to support your actions, for example carrying out indoor temperature monitoring.

1. Identify the staff or pupils responsible for each energy saving action.
2. Identify a completion date or whether the action is ongoing.
3. Identify whether there is a cost associated with the action and how the cost will be funded.
4. Identify targets for future energy performance.
5. Share the problems and proposed actions with the whole school. 
6. Keep updating the school community with your performance so everyone takes ownership of reducing energy use and helps to reduce climate change.