#597: More responses to the proposed subject content

I've been keeping an eye on the response to the confirmation that the GCSE Natural History will go ahead, and the publication of proposed subject content for the awarding bodies to work with after a period of consultation.

Steve Backshall was involved in the publicity around the launch and said...

"I’ve spent my life exploring the furthest reaches of the globe – from ocean depths to mountain summits – and the natural world never stops surprising me. That sense of discovery is something every young person deserves to feel, and this GCSE could be the thing that sparks it.

Getting students outside for real fieldwork – studying everything from urban parks to coastal salt marshes – is exactly how you build a genuine connection with nature. That hands-on experience isn’t just brilliant for the soul, it builds the kind of scientific and analytical skills that will serve them well in future life.

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."

It's described in The Manc as a "landmark moment for education".

Elena Lengthorn appeared in the local paper.

Elena Lengthorn, University Lead Mentor for PGCE Geography at the University of Worcester, who has played a key role in shaping the qualification as part of national advisory panels, said: "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape a qualification that could transform how young people engage with the natural world.

"This qualification will not only deepen understanding of the natural world but also develop practical and analytical skills that are essential for the fast-growing green economy."

There's also been a welcome from the Wildlife Trusts. Their Head of Health and Education, Dom Higgins is quoted in this piece.

He says:

There is a biodiversity layer that lives in and on the human body, including the gut, skin and airways. We are learning more and more every day that health is linked to surroundings – and so to the ecological health of what's around us. The first thousand days of human life – when the brain and body are most rapidly developing – are crucial.’

Being outdoors in nature stimulates changes in our bodies – the "feel-good" chemicals start to fire – specifically increasing the production of endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin.

There is also that very 'human' factor in terms of triggering memories. Experiencing beauty in nature can trigger a sense of "wonder". This emotional response grounds us in the present moment, making experiences feel more significant and memorable.


He also provides some good examples of how educators can re-connect young people with nature.

‘Listen to and then use children's interests to link to nature. They're into gaming? Ask what they have built in Minecraft or Roblox; bring the conversation round to nature.’

‘They're into football? Ask how they wind down after a match; what's the place like where they play – can they see trees? Ever spent time with them after a match? Try it!’

‘Find the links to what you are teaching that day,’ he says. ‘There are science, maths and stories out there; relive history through the rings in trees, count the bugs and flowers in squares of grass, hear a story and recreate it outside, talk about different religions' views of nature and the importance of caring for it.’

Where possible, a whole-school approach can secure parent and carer permission for local off-site walks, cutting administrative burdens and including families in decision-making and activities, if they are able to.

Higgins concludes: ‘You would be amazed where you can create nature in school grounds where there is none. Get in touch with your local Wildlife Trust to see what can be done.’