By New GCSE to be launched
A new GCSE will be launched next week, reportedly focusing on how pupils can protect the planet.
The natural history GCSE will be brought into circulation in schools.
According to reports, the qualification will be available from September 2025 and is expected to be announced by the education secretary Nadhim Zahawi on Thursday.
From The Guardian, The Department for Education said the qualification would allow pupils to learn about organisms and their environments “to gain a deeper knowledge of the natural world around them”.
Pupils will also develop skills in conservation, “from understanding how to conserve local wildlife to conducting the fieldwork needed to identify species”, the DfE said.
The government said the new course would “go further” in teaching them about the history and evolution of species and the impact of human activity on natural environments.
“Sustainability and climate change are the biggest challenges facing mankind,” Zahawi said.
“None of us can be in any doubt just how critical they have become. The new natural history GCSE will offer young people a chance to develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of this amazing planet, its environment, and how to conserve it.”
The reform of the qualification in 2017 means the GCSE is one of the first to launch.
“The government will work closely with independent experts and a range of stakeholder organisations, exam boards including Cambridge OCR, and Ofqual to develop the detailed content for the GCSE,” the DfE said.
The DfE added that the sustainability and climate change strategy will set out to help “young people develop excellent knowledge of Stem and practical opportunities to improve biodiversity and climate resilience”.
