- About Integrated Farm Management
- Our LEAF Network of Demonstration Farms & Innovation Centres
- Resources
- LEAF Sustainable Farming Review
- LEAF Endorsed Advisors & Consultants
- Our Projects & Partnerships
- Nature Based Solutions to Climate Change
- Beacons of Excellence
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- Accelerating & Demonstrating the Journey to Net-Zero
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Demonstration Schools
Continuing your journey to Gold.
Once you have made your Pledge, you may wish to progress onto the next stage and continue your journey as a LEAF Demonstration School.
Bronze, Silver and Gold usually reflect development across a school year or longer. As schools progress, learning becomes more connected, engagement deepens and confidence grows.
Each stage has a defined set of criteria focused on practice, learning and impact rather than the volume of activity. Whilst the Pledge review can be completed at any time; Bronze, Silver and Gold reviews are normally completed towards the end of the school year.
Bronze: Put your Pledge into Action.
The Bronze level:
Builds on your pledge, moving it into practical activity.
Is about trying things out and building confidence.
Has a set of simple criteria.
Has a reflective review in the summer term that is online and takes 30-60 minutes, determining if Bronze has been achieved.
“Children are talking about farming more frequently and where their food comes from.”
Cambrai Primary School, achieved Bronze 2026
Silver: Deepen your Impact.
The Silver level:
Follows on from Bronze only once schools feel they are ready.
Encourages practice to become more connected, with learning embedded across more than one subject.
Supports wider engagement with staff and pupils.
Has increased engagement with and support from Education Specialists.
Reflects sustained practice across a school year, with a 30–60-minute reflective online review in the summer term to determine if Silver has been achieved.
“Over the past 12 months, we have seen increased staff engagement and confidence in embedding these themes into teaching. The structured framework from LEAF has supported more purposeful curriculum links, rather than standalone activities.”
Coleshill CE Primary School, achieved Silver 2026
Gold: Lead & Inspire.
The Gold level:
Recognises schools where food, farming and sustainability have become a meaningful and established part of curriculum learning and wider school life.
Develops strong and purposeful farm-school partnerships that are about quality rather than quantity.
Includes leadership – organising, supporting or sharing of CPD and expertise with other schools.
Is reflective and evidence-informed, with an action-research element.
Has a review in the summer term that is online and takes 30-60 minutes, determining if Gold has been achieved.
"Our curriculum has been deliberately designed to ensure that food, farming and sustainability are embedded across subjects and year groups rather than taught as isolated topics.
Our action research highlighted the value of repeated experiences, practical learning opportunities and whole-school approaches in securing long-term impact.”
St Nicholas CE First School, achieved Gold 2026
Find criteria and guidance for each level in our Teacher’s Guide
View, download or print our easy-to-use guide now.