Anyone can provide feedback on the proposed content, open until 4 September 2026
This is a really exciting opportunity to shape and feed back on brand new subject content which will be used to develop the new Natural History GCSE.
It follows the initial Cambridge OCR consultation in 2020 which helped provide evidence that there was a need for a new GCSE in Natural History. The consultation findings were shared as part of a GCSE proposal to the Department for Education (DfE) and it was approved in April 2022.
This current consultation is a further step in the process asking for feedback on the GCSE Natural History Subject Content that will be published by the DfE.
They want to know whether the content will achieve its aims, including giving students the opportunity to understand the importance of our natural world, and allowing them to progress to higher educational courses and careers in scientific, geographical, ecological or natural history areas.
Butterfly Conservation Youth Panel member Chloe Mills explains how she found a sense of community through nature, and why experiences like these show the value of GCSE Natural History in inspiring young people to connect with the natural world.
Kim Polgreen and Joe Boyle from the University of Oxford share findings from their recent research on nature education, and why nature education really matters in secondary schools today.
Davina Hopkinson and Dr Nicolette Perry from the Dilston Physic Garden explore how including historically used UK plants in the GCSE Natural History would rebuild students' connection to nature, improve ecological literacy, and support lifelong wellbeing.
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