For biodiversity to be protected, it has to be appreciated and valued. But our increasing detachment from nature stops many of us knowing and directly experiencing it. This starts at a young age; children are spending less and less time outdoors. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds and ethnic minorities have particularly low access to green spaces. Education is a crucial lever to address this and mend our relationship with nature. The Government’s Children and Nature Programme went some w...

For biodiversity to be protected, it has to be appreciated and valued. But our increasing detachment from nature stops many of us knowing and directly experiencing it. This starts at a young age; children are spending less and less time outdoors. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds and ethnic minorities have particularly low access to green spaces. Education is a crucial lever to address this and mend our relationship with nature. The Government’s Children and Nature Programme went some way in increasing access opportunities, but the impact of the coronavirus has meant even fewer children have had access to nature this year. To address th Type: conclusion | Number: 70 | Paragraph: 341 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: (31a) The Department for Education (DfE) is exploring the option of introducing a new GCSE in Natural History after receiving a proposal from exam board OCR. Initial discussions with OCR have taken place. DfE, and Ofqual, will determine whether t