Tom Daley goes back to school to learn Gen Alpha slang - including 'skibidi' and 'rizzler'

Sporting a full uniform, the 30-year-old retired Team GB diver discovered some new phrases from his classmates, including ‘rizzler’, ‘skibidi’ and ‘sigma’ - all meaning cool and charismatic.

After being complimented on his blazer and tie – ‘so slay’ – he sat down to discuss ways of saving energy, including avoiding using too much water, turning the heating on only halfway and to ‘hop and skip’ to school.

According to the Gen Alphas, only ‘true rizzlers’ save energy.

He was later told to ‘stick to diving’ while playing football at breaktime and scorned by the teacher for making a paper airplane.

The Olympic gold medal winner has teamed up with British Gas as part of its ‘Get Set for Positive Energy’ education programme with Team GB and ParalympicsGB - aiming to educate children on the importance of energy habits for a sustainable future.

It comes after a poll of 2,000 parents of 5–17-year-olds found that a fifth admitted that sustainability habits in their homes are driven by their kids, who are as young as five.

And 70 per cent still need to make improvements when it comes to being energy efficient.

Tom said: “It’s been brilliant going back to school and learning from children on their energy saving tips in their own language.

“As the future generation, it’s important they feel educated and inspired to adopt habits to create a more sustainable future for all.”

Kids are often keeping their parents in check with sustainability

The research also found 21 per cent reckon their youngster keeps them in check with sustainability habits - including turning lights off when leaving a room and correctly recycling.

Nearly six in 10 (56 per cent) get reminded about this on a regular basis, with them getting called out for leaving taps running, wasting food, and forgetting to unplug chargers when not in use.

The study also found 43 per cent reckon their child is more conscious about how eco-friendly their household is, with 58 per cent claiming they only have ‘some’ sustainability habits.

And 35 per cent have previously been told something energy-related by their son or daughter which they weren’t previously aware of, with two thirds claiming this knowledge came from school, and 32 per cent citing YouTube as the source.

The OnePoll.com data also revealed 93 per cent appreciate learning how they can improve on their energy saving habits from their clued-up offspring.

But 65 per cent would find it easier to discuss being sustainable with them if the language was more suitable for their age.

While 39 per cent think energy saving tips specifically designed for children or teenagers help families become more eco-friendly.

James Corcoran, from British Gas, said: “It’s incredible to see young people leading the way in energy-saving habits. By working with Tom Daley and engaging kids to co-create advice in their own language, we’re making sustainability a fun and relatable topic.

“Through the ‘Get Set for Positive Energy’ programme, we’re not just sharing tips - we’re trying to empower young people and their communities to build a greener, fairer future.”

Top 10 non-green habits parents get called out on by their children:

1. Leaving lights on
2. Throwing recyclable items in the bin
3. Leaving taps running
4. Wasting food
5. Taking long showers
6. Eating too much meat
7. Leaving chargers plugged in
8. Leaving appliances on standby
9. Excessive use of single-use plastics
10. Washing laundry at a high temperature