FAQ’s - speakclimate.org

Frequently Asked Questions...

We hope these FAQ’s help you! Please feel free to contact us if there’s anything further we can help you with.

General information

How much do the workshops cost?

Our standard 2.5-hour workshops are £400, and our all-day SuperSessions are £800. That’s it!

Prices are fixed, regardless of your class size (16-36 students) – around just £10 per student for a full group. This fantastic value is guaranteed for Summer 2024-25 and Autumn 2025-26 terms within the West Midlands.

We are accepting bookings in academic year 2025-2026, please get in touch!

What areas do you cover?

We are West Midlands based, and currently cover postcodes:

ST1-ST21, CW3, DE6, DE13, TF9-TF11, WS11, WS12, WS15, WV6 – WV10.

We will be extending this coverage in the near future.

How long do the workshops last?

Our standard workshops are designed to fit neatly into your school day, running for 2½ hours with a brief convenience break.

Our immersive SuperSessions are all-day experiences, ideally including a ‘working lunch’. Morning and afternoon sessions are 2½ hours each.

We prioritize student interaction, and we’re always available for post-workshop questions, so timings may vary slightly.

Start times are flexible, provided the core workshop time is ‘protected’.

How many students can I book on a workshop?

Teamwork is at the core of our workshops. Therefore we divide your students into teams, aiming for a diverse range of talents in each team. Our experience is that this produces the most effective solutions to the mentored and facilitated challenges we set.

Dividing your students into between 3 and 6 teams (comprising a minimum 4 and a maximum 6 students), hence from 12 up to 36 total participants. This is designed to give everyone a voice without being the only voice – team effort, collective responsibility.

Exceptionally, our Climate Fundamentals workshop can be arranged so that additional students can observe the team process.

How many staff do you need to be present?

Whilst we are experienced educators, we expect that schools provide sufficient staff to support students and manage behaviour within our workshops. Typically, a minimum of one staff member per 10 students (or part of) would be our recommendation.

We are confident that staff will also benefit from the learning on these workshops. Post-course activities will enable your educators to expand on the work done on the day, and staff are welcome to observe the workshops.

Who are the workshops for - just science students?

Absolutely not! The green transition is a profoundly inter-disciplinary challenge. Whilst STEM skills are crucial, reimagining the world’s economy demands all talents to holistically investigate, analyse, implement and communicate new discoveries and techniques.

So much of what is happening is new – therefore new eyes are needed in the next industrial revolution, which is learning to appreciate and value nature.

We encourage all to use their skills, and we make space for that to happen.

Do the workshops tie in to the curriculum?

The government has repeatedly supported cross-curricular learning and working in its white papers. We agree.

We believe a curriculum-only approach is restrictive, and fails to model teamwork and diverse skills coming together to meet challenges.

Our workshops focus on real-world systemic challenges and opportunities, not siloed subjects. Whilst you will recognise many subject topics, our experience is that students thrive on holistic problem-solving.

Can we have more than one workshop in a day?

Certainly!

We can accommodate any combination of two workshops in a day.

For example you may choose to have two different groups experiencing the same workshop, or one group enjoying two different workshops.

In the case of the same group having two workshops in a day, we will only run one iteration of En-ROADS, whilst adding deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Don’t overlook our SuperSessions – the immersive all-day events replicating real-life commercial training days – coming soon!

Do you have workshops for staff?

We are happy to provide (for example) inset day or after-school workshops, or workshops for e.g. Governors, parents, support staff.

We have found that our Climate Fundamentals workshop is a logical choice if your aim is improving teachers’ ability to cascade climate knowledge – with confidence. We can offer shorter workshops if needed – please note this does not apply to our student workshops.

Please contact us to discuss your requirements. Also, please revisit this website periodically to see what additional options are available!

Can you run workshops outside core school hours?

Inset days, staff training days or late finishes are perfect opportunities to hone climate knowledge, which surveys repeatedly show that teachers see themselves lacking.

Climate anxiety is real. Your students feel it. You will be asked about it. But knowledge and action are the antidotes. Do you feel able to deliver the medicine?

Embracing climate change and preparing your students for the future will enable them to access the burgeoning career opportunities that the green economy is already offering.

We would love to discuss your vision and needs – please contact us for details.

Booking

How do I book a workshop?

Please feel free to complete our contact form in the first instance. We will be delighted to call you to discuss your needs further, as well as optionally giving you an example of how we approach our workshops.

What information do we need to provide on booking?

To ensure a smooth booking process, please have the following available:

Your choice of workshop(s)
Your preferred date(s) with alternatives, if possible
Estimated number of students and ages
Person authorising the booking
Contact details for that person, including an email address (from the official school URL) for transmission of booking forms, etc.
Details of your venue facilities – space, AV capabilities, access (don’t worry, we’ll go through a checklist with you to ensure everything fits).

When do you run workshops?

We can run workshops on any school day in any term, subject to availability. Inset or staff training days can also be accommodated.

Summer schools may also be supported subject to availability.

How far in advance do I need to book?

A lead time of 4 to 6 weeks would be typical, to allow us to ensure all necessary preparations are in place.

Currently we are accepting bookings for the 2025 Summer term and the 2025-26 Autumn term.

Please contact us to check availability, as earlier bookings may be possible.

What is your cancellation policy?

We recognise that on occasion, exceptional circumstances can require cancellation or rebooking of a course. We have worked hard to create a cancellation policy that is fair to all parties.

Speak Climate Ltd. Cancellation Policy:

1. Booking and Deposit:

A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the total workshop fee (currently £400, therefore £100 deposit) is required to secure the booking.
The remaining balance is due 14 days before the workshop date.
Bookings are confirmed upon receipt of the deposit.

2. School (Customer) Cancellation:

We understand that unforeseen circumstances may necessitate cancellations. To ensure fairness, the following cancellation policy applies:
- More than 30 days’ notice:
  - The deposit is retained.
  - The remaining balance will not be charged.
  - Option to reschedule the workshop within 3 months subject to availability, with no additional charge. In this case the deposit will be transferred to the new booking, but full payment will be required at the time of rebooking, and will not be refundable should the customer cancel again.
- 15-30 days’ notice:
  - The deposit is retained.
  - 50% of the remaining balance is payable.
  - Option to reschedule the workshop within 2 months, subject to availability, but completion of full payment will be required at the time of rebooking, and will not be refundable should the customer cancel again.
- Less than 15 days’ notice:
  - The full workshop fee is payable.
  - Rescheduling may be possible, but will incur an additional 25% administration fee.

3. Our (Speak Climate) Cancellation:

In the unlikely event that we must cancel a workshop, we will:
- Offer a full refund of all payments received.
- Or, offer to reschedule the workshop at a mutually agreeable date and time, with a discount of 20% on the rescheduled workshop fee as a gesture of goodwill.
We will provide as much notice as possible in the event of a cancellation.

4. Force Majeure:

Neither party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under this agreement if such failure or delay is caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, or government restrictions. In such cases, we will endeavour to reschedule the workshop at the earliest opportunity.

The cancellation policy, along with other T’s & C’s, is provided as part of the booking process, and is framed around common industry practices. Please see our terms and conditions page for full details.

Payment

What are your payment terms?

A Deposit of 25% of the full invoiced price is payable at the time of booking. The remainder of the invoiced price is due by 14 days before the Workshop delivery date.

Late payment may mean the booking date is released, and made available to other parties.

We trust you will understand that preparing for your workshop involves time and resources, and especially at busy times, other customers may be prepared to accept a cancellation booking.

What methods of payments do you accept?

We currently accept payment only by bank transfer. We confirm all payments as soon as we receive notification.

Pre-workshop checklist

What access do you need and when?