Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted
Paragraph: 89
Promote access to the new Natural History GCSE, focusing on disadvantaged schools.
Recommendation
The Government should ensure that it promotes access to the new Natural History GCSE when it is launched, with particular focus on schools that may not currently have easy access to the natural environment.
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation, stating the Department for Education is developing the Natural History GCSE content and actively engaging with stakeholders to encourage schools to deliver it, with the intention of appealing to students from diverse backgrounds.
Paragraph Reference:
89
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We agree with this recommendation. The Department for Education is currently developing subject content for the new Natural History GCSE and aims to launch a public consultation on proposed subject content shortly. Our intention is that the Natural History GCSE will appeal to students from a variety of different backgrounds and will provide them with the opportunity to study and observe the natural world regardless of where in the country they live. The GCSE will give students the opportunity to work towards a rigorous qualification that is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables. Our intention is that the GCSE will support students to progress to further academic and vocational study, training or employment. Study of the GCSE will particularly complement study of biology and geography GCSEs, which form part of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of GCSEs. The Department for Education have been actively engaging with stakeholders to encourage them to support schools and colleges to deliver the GCSE.