Mayor’s Greener Schools Pilot Slashes Annual Costs by Nearly £15,000 for Every School

London Grades Up With Greener Schools Mission

Mayor Sadiq Khan has just given the first shout‑out to the schools that will be getting a green makeover this year, aiming to knock down energy bills so that more cash can go toward buying books, tech, and extra help for pupils.

What the Deal Is

38 schools, 16 boroughs – each one expected to slice almost £15 000 off their annual energy costs.
Originally a £2.9 million pilot, the scheme has racked up an extra £9.6 million thanks to local authorities plugging in complementary funds.
Participants range from nursery to primary and secondary: 5 special schools, 2 nurseries, 2 secondary, and a whopping 31 primary.
Every chosen institution could pocket an average of more than £77 000.
Because demand was ripping, an additional £1 million has been set aside to help 13 more schools.

What Will Go Into the Schools

The money will be used for:

Better insulation to keep warm air inside in winter and cool air inside in summer.
Switching to LED lamps for a brighter, cleaner light.
Installing solar panels – because we can’t afford to let the sun go to waste.
Adding heat pumps to get efficient heating without the fossil‑fuel buzz.

Beyond the Bills

Some of the funding will also go toward climate education:

Whole‑school sustainability projects that might include water saving campaigns.
Helping kids become tomorrow’s climate champions.

Future‑Proofing London (and the Country)

Imagine all London schools embracing these energy hacks – we could see a collective savings of £50 million per year from the education budget. That’s a tidy chunk for the future of learning.

Even the national government’s Great British Energy scheme, launched just last month, is taking cues from this initiative. It will push rooftop solar onto 200 schools and 200 hospitals, further trimming costs for upcoming academic years.

Words from the Top

Mayor Khan said: “I’m thrilled to unveil the first schools that will reap the benefits of my Greener Schools push. With lower energy bills, schools can invest more in books, tech and staff, while nudging themselves towards net‑zero by 2030.”

Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor for Environment & Energy added: “The uptake has been wildly positive. The collaborative spirit of our boroughs is unlocking extra funding – more schools, more students, more sustainable futures.”

Heads of schools spoke up too:

Helen Bruckdorfer (Brecknock & Torriano Federation): “We’re buzzing with excitement. This grant will let us roll out solar PV and LED lighting, moving us closer to a greener community.”
Rachel Carli (Durants School): “As an Eco School, gaining this funding feels like a nod to our climate pledge. It’ll help propel the Enfield Schools Climate Action Plan.”