Climate Change: Curriculum must face the inconvenient truth 

This week’s IPCC report makes clear that the climate clock is ticking. Sadly, the view of many of the young people I talk to in the schools in our MAT is that the adults are ‘can-kicking’ their way towards oblivion. They cannot understand why they are being taught about the industrial revolution, soil erosion or the impact of the silicon chip but not about climate change. And they have a point.  

The numerous education ministers of recent years have promised that Britain would lead the way in climate and sustainability education by 2030. Great, but how? The main approach appears to be focused on a mapping exercise of what might be taught in science, geography and citizenship programmes within the national curriculum and through existing GCSEs such as design and technology, food preparation and nutrition, and economics. Our students think this is way too slow, way too cumbersome and hugely lacking in ambition. I agree. 

Our current approach to educating young people about the climate emergency is far too atomised and piecemeal, and it’s time for more radical action. Our MAT is therefore reviewing its teaching about the need for bold action to combat climate change, about the science that underpins the current climate emergency and how local, national and international collaboration are a strength and a virtue. 

The long-term consequences of our actions today will have a profound impact on the future of our planet. So, in collaboration with some key climate change campaign groups we will be piloting a new ‘climate emergency curriculum’ in 2023/24 with Years 5 and 6 in several of our primary schools.  

There are several reasons why we believe we should teach climate change studies as a discrete subject in our schools. First, it is crucial for children to understand the science behind climate change. They need to learn about its various causes including human activities that emit greenhouse gases like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.  

Children must also learn about the impact of climate change on the environment, including rising sea levels, extreme weather conditions, and loss of biodiversity. By understanding the science behind climate change, children will be better equipped to understand the importance of taking action to address it. 

Second, it will help children develop critical thinking skills. As they learn about the complex and interconnected issues related to climate change, they will need to analyse and evaluate different sources of information, including scientific research, media reports and political perspectives. This will help them to become better-informed citizens and to engage in informed discussions and decision-making about climate change as they grow older. 

Third, it will help children develop a sense of personal responsibility for the environment. Children will learn about the importance of reducing their carbon footprint, conserving energy and resources, and making sustainable choices in their daily lives. They will also learn about the impact of individual actions on the wider community and the environment, and how they can work together to make a positive change. 

Our children are excellent advocates for change, and by learning about climate change, they can become ambassadors for sustainability in their families, their local communities, and beyond. 

We are not alone to take such action. From July, the US state of Connecticut will become one of the first to mandate climate change studies across its public schools as part of its science curriculum. The vast majority of its public schools already have some form of climate change studies on the curriculum, but mandating it will effectively protect it from budget cuts and climate-denying political views.  

One of the really attractive aspects of the Connecticut approach is its focus on local, hands-on investigations and data connections that reflect local needs and action, helping students connect the science to their lives. 

Our trust exists to help students make the world a better place. There is no greater help we can provide than working with them to develop the knowledge and skills to save our planet, and we won’t be waiting on the government to catch up with Connecticut to do so.