A successfully sustainable school: Exploring sustainable development teaching and learning practices at an additional support needs primary school in Scotland

Purpose This paper discusses the teaching and learning of sustainable development at a single additional support needs primary school in Scotland. This school provides education to students of ages 4–12 years and with learning requirements that may not be accommodated in a mainstream education setting. Teaching of sustainable development to students with additional support needs is bound by the same standardised education policies as mainstream primary education in Scotland, and yet, there needs to be differences in practices to ensure all students can access and learn from sustainable development experiences and opportunities. This study asks 2 questions: (1) How is sustainable development taught at an additional support needs primary school in Scotland? and (2) What makes an additional support needs primary school in Scotland successful with teaching and learning of sustainable development? Design/methodology/approach This paper is underpinned by the relational posthuman philosophy of kin and kinship. The paper draws on findings from a 2-year case study of a single additional support needs primary school in Scotland. The data were gathered through photography in photo-voice and semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. All participants of this study are education practitioners employed at the school and have a remit for teaching and/or supporting the teaching and learning of sustainable development at the school. Additionally, observations I made in my dual role as education practitioner and researcher of this study are included. Findings The main concept arising from the data collected is relationships. Teaching and learning practices are focused on providing students with sustainable development experiences and opportunities which may differ to that of a mainstream primary education school. The teaching of sustainable development at the case school is achieved through the entanglement of connections students make with their human and non-human kin, and the affect this has on them to become active agents in creating stronger communities and sustainable futures for all. Furthermore, the relationships these students have with their human and non-human kin are driven by the varying additional support needs of students, effectively meaning that students are involved with how they are taught about sustainable development. Practical implications The findings can have implications for formal education systems around the world by providing an alternative lens by which to view and review how teaching and learning of sustainable development occurs and what this currently looks like to students with additional support needs. A review of curriculum and the framework for teaching, learning and assessing sustainable development to students with additional support needs can ignite change towards inclusion in this area and enable all learners to be active agents of sustainability practices in their everyday lives. This in turn will ensure that all citizens can participate in sustainable development at a local level and thereby contribute to national and global climate change goals, and ultimately ensure all life (human and non-human) on Earth can flourish. Originality/value This paper provides an alternative view to the teaching and learning practices of sustainable development to students with additional support needs by thoughtfully considering who and what are our kin and how kinship is made. This posthuman theoretical perspective provides a lens by which to view the different relationships students with additional support needs have not only with people but also with objects, and how these connections can enable this group of vulnerable learners to become active agents in sustainable development practices in their communities, and, as such, through posthuman philosophy, this paper illustrates the intersection between sustainable development and inclusion. The study also reveals the successes and barriers of teaching sustainable development to students at a single additional support needs primary school in Scotland, and how kinship can promote agency in students with additional support needs by providing community spirit through connection with the human and non-human. Recommendation following this study is for governments, schools and education practitioners around the world to review how sustainable development is taught and learnt across formal education systems and to consider alternative relational posthuman teaching and learning approaches to sustainable development that shift away from tokenistic practices that are steeped in a humanist mindset.