Stories for Change at West London Sustainability Summit
70 delegates attend event at the International School of London
Students from local schools helped spread the message
August 28, 2025
Over 70 delegates from across West London gathered at the International School of London (ISL) for the region’s first cross-sector sustainability summit, co-hosted by Oaklands Primary School and the education organisation SusEd. The event, held earlier this summer, brought together councillors, businesses, educators, and students from both state and independent schools to explore how collaboration and leadership can support climate action.
The summit was co-led by Tanisha Muqtada, Sustainability Lead at Oaklands, and Andrew Watson, co-director of SusEd. The programme, themed “Stories for Change,” featured a series of presentations and workshops focused on waste, food systems, climate education, and youth leadership. Contributors included Hannah Bowring from Let’s Go Zero, Nirvana Yarger from the Ministry of Eco Education, Tom Graham from Docathon, and students from Elthorne Park High School’s Eco Club.
Participants engaged in a process known as backcasting—working backwards from a desired future—to develop concrete sustainability goals for 2026 and foster new partnerships across boroughs. The event was designed to reflect the growing need for integrated approaches to sustainability, particularly as schools across the UK prepare to implement formal sustainability action plans by 2025 under national climate policy.
Five representatives from Ealing Council attended the summit, signalling local government support for community-led climate initiatives. Oaklands Primary School, which has been recognised in an Ofsted report for its sustainability work, continues to advocate for broader integration of environmental education across the sector.
A spokesperson for ISL described the summit as a moment of reflection and motivation, noting that shared stories and experiences can help turn ideas into action.
The event forms part of a wider movement to embed sustainability into education and civic life, with Ealing’s Sustainability Week scheduled to take place at the start of the new school term.
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