Exploring Eco-Emotions Together

As part of our journey towards achieving the Eco-Schools Award, we were delighted to welcome Dr Louise Edgington to lead a special assembly this week. As well as being a valued parent in the school community, Dr Edgington is a climate specialist educational psychologist, and she delivered a thoughtful and engaging session exploring an increasingly important topic: eco-emotions. 

During the assembly, the children considered how news about environmental issues — such as floods, climate change, and bush fires — can sometimes feel overwhelming. Even headlines designed for young readers can trigger worry. For example, a recent children’s newspaper headline declared: “Climate change is making chocolate more expensive, scientists say.” While this may sound simple on the surface, it can raise deeper concerns and questions for children about the future of the planet. 

Dr Edgington helped the pupils understand that these feelings are completely normal and valid. Rather than ignoring these emotions, she encouraged the children to recognise and talk about them. She also shared practical strategies and tools to help children manage eco-anxiety and respond positively when they feel worried about environmental issues. 

The assembly was both reassuring and empowering, reminding the children that while the challenges facing our planet are real, there are also many ways individuals and communities can make a difference. 

The pupils were thoroughly engaged throughout the session and came away with a deeper understanding of their own emotions and how to manage them. We are extremely grateful to Dr Edgington for sharing her expertise and helping our school community think more thoughtfully about how we support young people in navigating the emotional side of environmental awareness.