Leading article: Generating hope

Cassop primary school in Durham, the winner of the first sustainable school of the year award in this year's Teaching Awards, appears to have the answer to the angst among children that Professor Robin Alexander uncovered. Children are growing their own vegetables and ensuring their school reduces carbon emissions. Moreover, they have turned into eco-warriors at home – campaigning for a piece of wasteland that was part of a former pithead to become a nature reserve where injured animals can be treated. This shows that, if you give children a constructive role in improving their surroundings, feelings of helplessness can be replaced by hope.