Plans for a new Natural History GCSE that focuses on how to protect the planet has been welcomed by schools and wildlife trusts across the county.
The GCSE is expected to enter the National Curriculum by 2025. It will focus on topics such as climate change and biodiversity and will allow young people to develop the skills for careers in conservation.
Mary Colwell, an environmentalist at the BBC natural history unit, called for the subject to be taught in schools.
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She became worried that the nation’s historic skills in recording natural history have slowly been disappearing among younger people.
She said: “If you don’t have people that understand nature to monitor those changes (because of climate change) and interpret them, we’re missing a lot of evidence and a lot of clues about what we need to do – so nature is a great informer about what is happening to the planet.”
She added: “But it’s not just about problem solving and tackling climate change – I think that the natural world provides people with a lot of solace and inspiration, and we are in challenging times, being surrounded by things that nurture us. The study of natural history is very nurturing and life-enhancing.”
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Soon, schools across Oxfordshire could also be teaching the GCSE.
Rob Pavey headteacher at Cheney School in Headington said: “It's a lovely idea and would fit well with a lot of the work we are already doing; it's too early to say whether we will offer it, but we will certainly consider it.”
Caroline Jordan, headmistress at Headington School said: “All children should be taught about climate change and eco-systems and this is not something which we should be waiting for until 2025.
"It is important that the good work done by exam boards in Geography and the Sciences isn’t put on hold just because there is a new, optional subject which is unlikely to be taught by all schools to all children."
The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has been calling for the creation of a natural history GCSE along with the rest of The Wildlife Trusts across the UK, and said it was delighted by the announcement.
The Trust already offers educational experiences for school children of all ages at its Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre near Didcot and with school visits but has long called for all children to be given the opportunity to learn more about the natural environment – including by spending more time learning outdoors.
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Liz Shearer, community engagement director at BBOWT, said: “We now live in a world where tackling environmental and climate change are fundamental to our daily lives. A qualification with a focus on protecting the planet is a great start to understanding the issues.
“This GCSE will help equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills to understand how our natural environment and climate work. Crucially, this will include learning about local wildlife and nature, which we know needs to be the starting point for tackling environmental change.”
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