REPORT: Embedding climate and nature in the curriculum – Global Action Plan and partners propose elegant solution
Today marks the official launch of our new curriculum policy proposal - The key contributions of subjects to climate change and nature education.
The proposal is the result of a collaboration between Global Action Plan, UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education, National Association for Environmental Education UK, the Council for Subject Associations and their members, and numerous learned societies.
We recommend the inclusion in the National Curriculum of an overall statement and headline subject specific statements, that set out how the curriculum contributes to climate change and nature education.
A key premise of our proposal is that while each subject can play a role in building student’s knowledge and understanding of climate change, nature, and sustainability, they can also play a role in nurturing the skills and values that underpin commitment to action on the climate and nature crisis.
The subject statements, which were developed by colleagues from the 25+ learned societies and subject associations we engaged through this process, are illustrative examples of the sorts of statements that could be inserted in a school, or indeed, national curriculum.
Our curriculum policy proposal has already been sent to colleagues in both the Curriculum and Assessment Review team and the Sustainability and Climate Change Unit at the Department for Education.
It has also been sent to Chair of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, Prof. Becky Francis, and her fellow panellists. Education Minister, Stephen Morgan MP and Secretary of State, Bridget Phillipson MP, have likewise received copies.
As we await the final report and recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, Global Action Plan will continue to advocate for greater inclusion of climate change and sustainability education in the National Curriculum.
This article was first published on the Global Action Plan Education pages.
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