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New Natural History GCSE could benefit wildlife and outdoor recreation, BASC tells Government
A new GCSE in Natural History could deliver significant benefits for both wildlife and outdoor recreation if it is designed well, BASC has told Government in its response to a Department for Education consultation on the qualification’s proposed subject content.
BASC’s head of training, education and outreach, Curtis Mossop, said the new qualification could carry real weight for how the next generation understands and interacts with the natural world if its content strikes the right balance between recreation, wildlife conservation and the practical realities of land management.
Stronger connection with nature
He said: “The GCSE has the potential to deliver significant benefits for wildlife and outdoor recreation by encouraging young people to develop a stronger connection with nature and practical knowledge of the countryside.
“BASC’s outreach programmes, including Let’s Learn Moor, demonstrate how hands-on experiences can introduce young people to upland habitats, wildlife and the gamekeepers who manage these landscapes.
“We would encourage the final content to promote responsible access to and enjoyment of the countryside, while recognising the need to balance recreation with wildlife conservation, land management, farming and other legitimate uses of the countryside. Overall, a well-balanced Natural History GCSE could positively influence how future generations understand and value the UK’s land, water, wildlife and natural resources.”
The new GCSE is due to be offered to pupils aged 14 to 16 in England from September 2028. Students will be expected to complete at least 20 hours of fieldwork as part of the course.
A real opportunity
Mr Mossop added: “We believe this presents a real opportunity for shoots, gamekeepers and estates to open their doors to local schools and demonstrate how habitat management and predator control can help boost biodiversity.”
BASC’s submission also highlights the opportunity for the new qualification to widen access to careers in the land-based sector. Mr Mossop said introducing students to roles such as ecology, conservation, forestry, gamekeeping, deer management, farming and countryside management could help challenge the perception that these careers are only open to particular groups or backgrounds.
The Department for Education has said the qualification is explicitly designed to prepare students for “green careers” and to support progression to A-Level study, vocational pathways, employment and further environmental education. In addition, BASC has identified it as a potential route into Level 3 Land and Wildlife Management courses and, ultimately, the next generation of professional gamekeepers, stalkers and estate managers.
BASC’s head of policy and campaigns, Dr Conor O’Gorman, said: “I wish the Natural History GCSE every success. I would have loved that option as a teenager, to study something you are truly passionate about. Data from the Children’s People and Nature Survey shows that nearly two-thirds of young participants in England visit green spaces on school trips at least once a term. For some, that park visit may be their only outdoor experience.
Eyes wide open
“Fieldsports are the original form of natural history in practice and if shoots can host field trips for local schools as part of the new GCSE, that will open teenagers’ eyes to what it takes to create wild and biodiverse places at a landscape level.”
In its submission, BASC highlighted Let’s Learn Moor as evidence of what can be achieved when the shooting and conservation community works together to educate young people. Now in its tenth year and described as the UK’s largest upland classroom, the annual event has introduced more than 16,000 young people to the environmental, cultural and economic importance of the UK’s uplands.
Let’s Learn Moor is a collaborative educational project which is overseen by BASC and Countryside Learning and made possible by accessing BASC’s Legacy Fund. Events are facilitated by the Regional Moorland Groups and private estates across northern England with the support of more than 50 other partners.
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