Work · Sutton, London

SuDS in Sutton’s Schools

A council-led programme bringing sustainable drainage and nature-based features onto Sutton’s school grounds, to reduce surface-water flooding and support outdoor climate learning. My part was the Environment Agency’s partnership role: fortnightly progress meetings and checks with the council.

RolePartnership contact

Period2023–25

Valueest. >US$2m

Supported 2023–25 (council-led)

ContextWhy it mattered

Surface water is England’s most widespread flood risk: about 4.6 million properties are exposed, 43% more than the previous assessment found. London has around 3,500 schools. In July 2021 storms flooded more than 550 homes and businesses in Westminster alone. Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) on school roofs, playgrounds and green space slow and store rain where it falls. London programmes have targeted the schools in the highest surface-water risk bands, and the Department for Education now pays up to half the cost of school SuDS.

Partners: London Borough of Sutton (lead local flood authority; programme lead); Schools in Sutton

My roleWhat I did

Flood Risk Advisor, Partnerships & Strategic Overview (PSO): fortnightly progress meetings and checks with the council

Held fortnightly progress meetings with the council, the programme lead.
Checked progress and timing with the council, as the Environment Agency’s partnership contact on grant-in-aid and partnership-funding requirements.

Project cycleHow the project moved, stage by stage

Who led each stage, and what it produced. Filled steps were mine; outlined steps were led by others.

My role (3 of 7 stages) Context: led by the council, partners or the Environment Agency, not my actions

1NeedPartner-led
Schools at surface-water risk were identified by borough partners.
Result A programme focused on schools in surface-water risk areas.
ADB: Project identification (sector diagnostic) · World Bank: Identification (Project Concept Note)
2Funding and partnershipMy role
Acted as the Environment Agency’s partnership contact on grant-in-aid and partnership-funding requirements.
Result Funding requirements understood and evidenced by partners.
ADB: Cofinancing and counterpart-fund arrangements · World Bank: Financing plan and co-financing
3ProcurementMy role
Followed procurement progress in the fortnightly meetings with the council.
Result Procurement progressed for school sites. council
ADB: Procurement plan; advance contracting · World Bank: Procurement plan (PPSD / STEP)
4Delivery monitoringMy role
Held fortnightly progress meetings and checks with the council.
Result A regular, shared view of progress and timing.
ADB: Implementation under the project administration manual (PAM); quarterly progress reports · World Bank: Implementation support; inputs to the Implementation Status and Results Report (ISR)
5Site assuranceCouncil-led
The council carried out site visits and checks on the ground.
Result Progress checked on school sites. council
ADB: Review missions · World Bank: Implementation support missions
6Engagement and disseminationCouncil-led
The council ran the programme’s green education for pupils.
Result School grounds used as outdoor learning about water and climate. council
ADB: Stakeholder communication strategy · World Bank: ESS10 stakeholder engagement; citizen engagement
7Learning and auditCouncil-led
The council kept the programme’s finance and audit records.
Result Programme finances recorded and audited. council
ADB: Audited project financial statements; completion report · World Bank: Financial audit; Implementation Completion and Results Report

PeopleWho it affects, and how results were shared

Who it affects

Pupils, staff and families at schools in surface-water risk areas
Neighbouring homes that share the local drainage network

How people were involved

Fortnightly progress meetings and checks with the council. my record
The council’s programme aimed to raise children’s awareness of flood risk through green education. council

What changes for them

School SuDS slow and store rain on site, so less water reaches the drains during storms. programme aim
Sendai target (d) counts disruption of basic services, including education. School grounds that flood less mean less disruption.

Public evidenceLondon has around 3,500 schools. The GLA’s Climate Resilient Schools programme prioritised 100 schools in the top 10% for surface-water flood risk. Source: CIWEM: How SuDS in Schools is reducing the risk of surface water flooding (2026); GLA MD3053: Climate Resilient Schools programme.

MethodsMethods and tools

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and nature-based solutions
FCERM grant-in-aid and partnership funding (2020 rules)
Fortnightly progress meetings and checks

OutcomeWhat happened

A council-led programme of est. >US$2m that I supported through 2023–25. The council led delivery on school sites.

Where the rain goes. Schematic based on public sources (see Sources); not to scale.

In numbersHow London school SuDS are funded: one public example

GLA (Mayor of London) £705k (41.3%)
Thames Water £500k (29.3%)
Department for Education £500k (29.3%)

Total £1.705m

Public figures; shares derived. Three funders, no single majority: the co-financing pattern partnership advisors work within.

GLA MD3053: Climate Resilient Schools programme, total £1.705m. An example of how London school SuDS are co-financed; not necessarily the programme I supported, and not my estimate of its value.

SkillsSkills gained

Programme and project managementFollowing a multi-site programme through fortnightly progress meetings and checks with the council.
Partnership funding and financeWorking within grant-in-aid and partnership-funding rules, where partner contributions complete the funding.
Nature-based solutionsHow sustainable drainage is retrofitted into existing school grounds, not greenfield sites.
Stakeholder engagementWorking with the council as programme lead, for sites whose daily users are pupils and staff.

Programme and project management
Partnership funding and finance
Procurement and contracts
Nature-based solutions
Stakeholder and community engagement
Climate adaptation

TransferHow this applies internationally

ADB RRBI. Experience of a borough programme of small green–grey measures spread across many sites. RRBI promotes “green–gray flood management that combines nature-based solutions (floodplains, wetlands, sponge cities)”. Having followed such a programme, I can judge how far basin plans and tools account for these measures.

UNDRR (capacity strengthening; Sendai target (d)). Risk reduction in education facilities, paired with risk awareness for children. Sendai target (d) and para 30(c) single out schools as critical facilities. The programme combined physical risk reduction with learning.

World Bank (implementation support). Progress monitoring of a council-led, co-financed drainage programme. Regular progress meetings and checks with an implementing partner are the core of support to a project implementation unit (PIU). They feed disbursement forecasts and the Implementation Status and Results Report.

ADB project administration. Co-financing several partners in one programme. This mirrors how ADB tracks cofinancing and counterpart funds in a project administration manual.

SourcesSources

Value est. >US$2m: programme value. The estimate is mine.