A new GCSE in Natural History

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This is an extra blog post because I just wanted to share with you the very exciting news that on Friday 21st March the government confirmed in parliament that:

“…we will be moving ahead with a new GCSE in natural history. The GCSE will enable more young people to benefit from the opportunity to learn about the natural world in more depth at key stage 4. It will equip them to understand and respect the natural world and contribute to the protection and conservation of the environment locally, nationally and internationally.”

I first learned about this proposed GCSE in Natural History last May when I was talking to some teachers who were so excited about it and told me that if I wanted to know more then I needed to speak to Mary Colwell. So I did.

Mary Colwell

Listen here to the conversation I recorded with Mary in June 2024.

Why a GCSE in Natural History?

Mary has been campaigning for a GCSE in Natural History since 2011! Back in June it seemed things were stalled but finally her work has paid off. By chance I had been in contact with Mary about 10 days ago and she had said “I am more hopeful than I have been for a while.” I had sent her the episode ‘Lucy and the Weed Trust’ which demonstrates that if a child is passionate about nature - they can grow up to be an urban ecologist and Mary’s response was “it gives me hope, children like Lucy exist”.

The Guardian reported the government decision on Friday and quotes Mary as saying: “Education is the most important thing we can do for the planet at the moment. To start to create a society that knows and understands the natural world is the biggest step forward we can take…David Attenborough said we need to fall in love with the Earth again. This is one way of helping the next generation do that because it will show them the wonder of it.”

It sounds as though there is still work to do. The government will consult on the GCSE’s subject content later this year. Mary has said that the criteria drafted under the previous government would need to be revised to ensure that the GCSE provides fieldword opportunities to learn about wildlife in local neighbourhoods. If you listen to this podcast episode you will hear Mary say that it is key for her that you don’t need to go anywhere to do these studies, this is about the nature on your doorstep.

In a world where it feels like nature is under attack, this feels to me like a moment of hope. If children are given the opportunity to be ‘entranced’ by nature, noticing what is happening and caring when it happens then it feels like they are being equipped for the challenges faced by their generation. We are so lucky to have campaigners like Mary Colwell who don’t give up, despite the challenges.

I suspect there will be a few adults too who would love the opportunity to take this GCSE!

Thanks for reading and I hope you will share the good news and perhaps the episode too - its a lesson to us all about our power to change things.

Have a lovely weekend

Sally

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