UCL academics have released a policy proposal highlighting the key contributions of subjects to climate change and nature education. In the proposal, UCL’s Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education (CCCSE), based in the UCL Institute of Education, sets out a realistic way to embed more climate change and nature education into the school curriculum.
The proposal has been developed in partnership with Global Action Plan, the National Association for Environmental Education (NAEE) and the Council for Subject Associations, at a timely juncture for the current Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR). In particular, the proposal asks that:
- One of the overarching aims of the national curriculum should respond to the climate and nature crisis.
- The aims of every subject in the national curriculum should include a reference to their distinctive contributions to climate change and nature education.
The proposal includes an overarching curriculum aim to illustrate the potential power of such a statement. It goes on to feature a short aims statement, written in collaboration with subject associations and learned societies, for every subject. These aims – in part or in full – could easily be integrated into the revised curriculum and would legitimise and encourage teachers’ efforts to respond to the climate and nature crisis in their classrooms. Importantly, they shift attention to the lenses through which existing content can be explored and they highlight the crucial role of skills and values alongside knowledge.
Prof. Justin Dillon, Development Lead at CCCSE and President of NAEE said: “This policy proposal is the result of a remarkable collaboration between NAEE, GAP, the Council for Subject Associations, the learned societies and UCL’s Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education – NAEE is delighted to be involved in this potentially important proposal”.
Dr Alison Kitson, Programme Director at CCCSE, emphasises the pragmatic approach taken in the proposal: “We know that the CAR panel is looking to reduce rather than increase the amount of prescribed content in the revised curriculum. However, we also know that there is an urgent need for the curriculum to reflect the climate and nature crisis in ways that are meaningful, constructive and empowering. This proposal sets out a way to achieve both at the same time.”
Prof. Nicola Walshe, Executive Director of CCCSE, welcomes the publication of the proposal, calling it “an extremely important contribution to the Curriculum and Assessment Review at a critical time for our planet. We have been delighted to work with a wide range of significant partners on this proposal. The high levels of engagement of all relevant stakeholders are a reminder that these issues are increasingly important for everyone.”
The proposal ends with a statement underscoring teachers’ voices in this review: “We know that many teachers would value more commitment from policymakers to support them in their desire to make young people’s education fully fit for purpose.
To ignore the wishes of those people responsible for educating the youth of today would be a missed opportunity.”
- Access, download and share the proposal: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10212236/
- Register for launch event: https://globalactionplan.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aW6wFxLCTGi6OgxJN9pIUw#/registration