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Natural history GCSE finally gets go-ahead
Landmark qualification to be made available in schools years after its initial target start date, with content to be decided after a 12-week consultation
Students will be able to take a new natural history GCSE qualification as part of curriculum reforms, the government has confirmed.
Plans for the qualification were first announced by former Conservative education secretary Nadhim Zahawi in 2022, with the intention of teaching it in schools from 2025.
The government said it expects natural history to be “first taught in schools at the same time as the teaching of the revised GCSEs”, following the Francis curriculum and assessment review. Schools are due to start teaching the new curriculum from September 2028.
Human impact on natural world
It is proposed that natural history GCSE students will spend a minimum of 20 hours learning outdoors, exploring “real habitats, from urban parks to coastal salt marshes”. The DfE said that a “deep understanding” of UK habitats and wildlife is “at the heart” of the new qualification.
The new GCSE is also expected to examine how humans influence the natural world, tackling areas such as fishing, deforestation and urbanisation, and exploring how to support biodiversity in everyday life.
The core areas of study will be UK wildlife and habitats; human influence on the natural world; and climate change, biodiversity loss and conservation, the DfE proposes.
Skills for the jobs of tomorrow
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “As we move into a world where careers are being increasingly shaped by science, technology and environmental change, it’s crucial young people have the skills for the jobs of tomorrow.
“This new GCSE will help students build a strong understanding of the natural world, alongside the knowledge, skills and hands-on experience to access careers in some of the UK’s fastest growing sectors.”
She added: “With extensive fieldwork built in, the GCSE will also get young people out and about exploring local parks, rivers and more - a critical part of childhood as more and more of our worlds are taken up by screens.”
Dr Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, said there was a “strong demand” from young people for learning more about nature.
He believes the new qualification could help “equip a generation with the knowledge, skills and confidence to create a future in which people and planet thrive”.
Solving ‘biggest challenges ever faced’
Broadcaster and naturalist Steve Backshall said that encouraging students to do fieldwork outdoors is “exactly how you build a genuine connection with nature”.
He added: “We’re asking this generation to confront some of the biggest challenges humanity has ever faced - biodiversity loss, climate change, species extinction. This qualification gives them the knowledge and the tools to not just understand those challenges, but to be part of the solution.”
Pupils, parents and teachers can share their views on the proposed content via a 12-week government consultation, running from 9.30am on Friday 12 June to Friday 4 September.
