Policy and the Practice of Environmental Education in England: a dilemma for teachers

summary Environmental education in schools in England is subject to conflicting pressures from the policies of central government concerning the environment and education. Schools are considered to be important vehicles for improving environmental responsibility and within this ‘values education’ makes a significant contribution. Recent reform of the education system has been directed towards raising standards, with an emphasis on knowledge and skills. Aspects of affective education, including beliefs, values and attitudes receive less emphasis. Results of a study into how environmentally‐aware teachers in secondary schools see their role in relation to their own attitudes to the environment, the relationship between local and global concerns and their understanding of the nature of environmental education and its contribution to the curriculum are reported and discussed in the context of policy mismatch.