We were delighted to welcome participants from across Scotland’s educational landscape to the first 2026-2027 session of ‘LfS Connect’ – our monthly online, pan-sectoral and national Community of Practice.

Delivered in partnership by Learning for Sustainability Scotland and the Centre for Teaching Excellence, LfS Connect provides an opportunity for educators, senior leaders, and policy makers across Scotland – and beyond – to discuss, share, and explore key aspects of educational research, policy, and practice relating to Learning for Sustainability.

This session focused on ‘Learning for Sustainability and the Curriculum Improvement Cycle’, exploring the evolving role of LfS within Scotland’s education system and the opportunities presented by the Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC).

1. Welcomes and introductions

The session opened with a welcome from Cecilia Mañosa Nyblon, Development Manager at Learning for Sustainability Scotland, and Dr Claire Ramjan, Hub Lead for the Rural and Learning for Sustainability Hub at the Centre for Teaching Excellence.

Participants were then invited to share their thoughts on what the term Learning for Sustainability means to them…

View a recording of this part of the session.

View the slides from this part of the session

2. Setting the scene

Cecilia provided an overview of the international and national policy landscape for Learning for Sustainability; highlighting its growing global importance and its role in enabling meaningful, relevant, and transformational learning across all forms of education in Scotland.

View a recording of this part of the session.

View the slides from this part of the session

3. Enhancing the ‘why’, the ‘what’, and the ‘how’: LfS as a ‘non-negotiable Curriculum Entitlement’

We were then honoured to welcome Ollie Bray, Strategic Director from Education Scotland.

Ollie provided us with an overview of the concepts, research, and processes that have underpinned the Curriculum Improvement Cycle:  a comprehensive refresh of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence; which will be implemented in Scotland’s schools from August 2028.

Of particular interest was the role of Learning for Sustainability in the refreshed Curriculum for Excellence. LfS has not only informed the conceptualisation of the refreshed curriculum, but is now articulated as a cross-curricular ‘non-negotiable Curriculum Entitlement’.

We look forward to welcoming Ollie to a future session of LfS Connect; where he will share an update on the final technical frameworks and next steps regarding the Curriculum Improvement Cycle. We will share more details regarding this in due course.

View a recording of this part of the session.

View the slides from this part of the session

4. Over to you: opportunities, challenges and support…

Participants then went into breakout groups to share their thoughts regarding the opportunities and possible challenges that the CIC offers – as well as beginning to consider what they might need to enhance and support LfS in their own practice.

Click here to view the Padlet where they shared their thoughts.

5. Information, resources and ideas

Claire and Cecilia shared an overview of useful resources and support for participants who want to not only find out more about the Curriculum Improvement Cycle as well as enhance Learning for Sustainability in their own practice. These included:

6. Participant Reflections

The session concluded with reflections from participants on two questions:

The session concluded with reflections from participants on two questions:

1. What did you find most useful about today’s session?

2. What will be your next steps on your LfS journey?

Read some of their reflections here.

7. Explore the session

You can revisit the different elements of the session through the links below:

  1. View all of the slides from this session
  2. View the Welcome and Introduction to this session
  3. View the international and national ‘scene-setting’ from Learning for Sustainability Scotland
  4. View the Curriculum Improvement Cycle input from Ollie Bray
  5. View resources and ideas for next steps with this aspect of Learning for Sustainability

Our warmest thanks once again goes to Ollie Bray for his invaluable contribution to the session, and to everyone who joined us and shared their perspectives, questions and ideas.

We look forward to continuing the conversation through LfS Connect.

Join the next ‘LfS Connect’ session on Tuesday 03 November


Our next LfS Connect session will have a focus on ‘Learning for Sustainability and the Centre for Teaching Excellence’

Come along to meet the teachers who are working with the Centre for Teaching Excellence as Teacher Associates and hear about how they are supporting engagement with research focused on rural education and Learning for Sustainability.

Book your FREE place for this session
View and book places for all of the upcoming LfS Connect sessions for 2026-2027