UN Sustainability Charter
An eight-day British boarding-school experience where students transform waste into a working product while exploring innovation, responsible consumption and sustainable global citizenship.
Suffolk coast
Field lab
Sustainability becomes meaningful when students build something from it.
The UN Sustainability Charter Programme is an eight-day, seven-night residential learning experience at Clayesmore School for students aged 13–17. Through the Sustainable Futures: Waste to Worth project, students explore how recycled plastic can be transformed into a valuable, functional product.
Students follow the complete design journey from understanding the sustainability challenge and processing waste material to digital design, manufacturing, electronics, testing and presentation.
Why this programme matters
Sustainability can easily become a collection of slogans and classroom discussions. This programme asks students to apply those ideas to a real design challenge. It supports IB approaches to inquiry, interdisciplinary learning and reflection, while aligning with NEP 2020’s emphasis on experiential, competency-based education.
Programme structure
- Day01
Arrival & orientation
Students are met at Heathrow and transferred to Clayesmore School. The day includes room allocation, safeguarding guidance, a campus tour and an introduction to British boarding-school life.
- Day02
Sustainable futures: waste to worth
Students explore global plastic waste, responsible consumption and the circular economy. They process recycled HDPE, observe how it becomes sheet material and begin sketching ideas for a sustainable flat-pack desk lamp.
- Day03
Design development and CAD
Students refine their concepts and use CAD software to develop lamp components, considering material thickness, joints, pivots, assembly, accuracy and efficient material use.
- Day04
Oxford or Cambridge experience
Students visit Oxford or Cambridge, depending on the final itinerary. The day introduces them to a globally recognised academic environment and encourages curiosity about innovation and future pathways.
- Day05
Materials, science and electronics
Students investigate polymers, thermoplastics and the effect of heat on recycled plastic. They study simple circuits, LEDs, voltage, polarity, USB power and energy efficiency before beginning supervised manufacture.
- Day06
Manufacture, assembly and presentation
Students cut, drill, finish and assemble components, install the LED circuit and test the product. The academic programme concludes with product photography, reflection, presentations and certificates.
- Day07
The London experience
A guided journey through London introduces students to the city’s landmarks, history, design, public spaces and contemporary culture through a structured itinerary.
- Day08
Local sightseeing and departure
Students take part in a final local sightseeing experience before transferring to Heathrow. The complete international journey is nine days including travel.
From global goals to a product students can hold.
The programme moves sustainability beyond discussion by challenging students to create, test and defend a practical response to waste.
Sustainability through action
Students explore responsible consumption, material reuse and the circular economy through a real product-development challenge.
Complete design journey
Students move from research and sketching to CAD, manufacture, electronics, assembly, testing and evaluation.
Working final product
Each student completes a functional USB-powered LED desk lamp made using recycled HDPE and modern manufacturing processes.
Interdisciplinary learning
The project combines design, materials science, electronics, sustainability, mathematics, communication and workshop skills.
Leadership communication
Public-speaking and presentation coaching helps students explain their ideas clearly, confidently and persuasively.
British boarding-school experience
Students live and learn at Clayesmore School while experiencing its campus, activities and residential rhythm.
What you take home.
Students complete the programme with a working product and a clearer understanding of how design can contribute to environmental and social change.
- Circular-economy understanding through plastic waste, recycled HDPE and responsible production.
- Product-development experience from an initial brief to a completed, tested outcome.
- Introductory CAD competence and experience designing components for manufacture.
- Materials-science understanding of polymers, thermoplastics and recycled material behaviour.
- Electronics knowledge covering simple circuits, LEDs, voltage, polarity and USB power.
- Practical workshop experience using supervised processes safely and accurately.
- Communication confidence developed through debate, presentations and visual material.
- A working USB-powered lamp and a certificate of programme completion.
Built for inventive and globally aware students aged 13–17.
No previous CAD, electronics or workshop experience is required. Students should arrive ready to experiment, solve problems and turn ideas into a physical product.
- Ages 13–17, with an interest in design, sustainability or innovation.
- Conversational English for collaboration, coaching and presentations.
- Practical curiosity and a willingness to sketch, test, refine and make.
- Interest in design, technology, engineering or sustainability at school or beyond.
- Ready for a supervised residential experience and collaborative project work.
Life on the programme
A look inside the campus, the classrooms and the moments in between.
One transparent fee from Heathrow to Heathrow.
One fee covers the full United Kingdom experience from Heathrow pickup to Heathrow departure transfer.
Programme fee
Covers the complete eight-day and seven-night residential programme in the United Kingdom.
- Seven nights’ residential accommodation at Clayesmore School
- Sustainable Futures: Waste to Worth academic programme
- Design-thinking, sketching and introductory CAD sessions
- Materials-science and electronics activities
- Supervised workshop manufacturing and assembly
- Oxford or Cambridge visit based on the final itinerary
- All scheduled meals, activities and excursions
- Guided London experience and local sightseeing
- All scheduled transfers within the United Kingdom
- Heathrow airport pickup and departure transfer
- Supervision and pastoral support throughout
- Project materials, completed desk lamp and programme certificate
Additional costs
Items we don’t bundle in — either because they vary or because families prefer to choose.
- Return international airfare
- United Kingdom visa fee and associated service charges
- Travel insurance, unless included by the organising school
- Personal shopping, pocket money and purchases outside the itinerary
Easy payments
The next instalment is payable 60 days before departure; full payment is due 30 days before departure.
Sibling discount
Students enrol through their school following a parent open house and formal programme introduction.
Seat deposit
A ₹1,00,000 deposit confirms participation and allows flight and visa planning to begin.
Your journey, step by step.
The enrolment journey is managed jointly by the participating school and Aspirational Editech.
School introduction and open house
The school shares a letter of intent. Aspirational Editech conducts a parent open house covering the programme, safety, itinerary and fees.
Registration and deposit
Interested parents complete registration and pay a ₹1,00,000 deposit. Flight and visa planning then begins.
Documentation and instalments
Parents receive documentation support, the proposed flight plan and programme information. The next instalment is due 60 days before departure.
Final preparation and departure
The full fee is due 30 days before departure. Families receive the final itinerary, packing guidance and pre-departure orientation.
What students and parents tell us.
Turning recycled plastic into a working lamp changed how I thought about waste. It became a material I could design with.
Sustainability was not treated as a chapter in a textbook. Students had to make decisions, solve problems and explain why their product was responsible.
My child returned with a product she had designed and manufactured herself, and much greater confidence explaining her ideas.
Questions, answered.
Turn waste into worth.
Give students the opportunity to explore sustainability by designing, manufacturing and presenting a working product inside a British boarding-school environment.
Bring the UN Sustainability Charter Programme to your school
Programmes are organised for school cohorts and delivered at Clayesmore School. Speak to our team to discuss availability, travel periods and the parent engagement process.
Download the UN Sustainability Charter Programme Brochure
Explore the academic structure, design project, learning outcomes, inclusions and complete eight-day programme journey.
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