Natural history GCSE to teach teenagers to plant wildflower-friendly gardens

School pupils will learn how to plant a wildflower-friendly garden, according to long-awaited plans announced on Thursday for a natural history GCSE in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Campaigners have for more than a decade called for the study of biodiversity loss and global heating to be introduced as a dedicated subject in classrooms across the country, but despite a curriculum being previously drawn up, its launch has faced repeated delays.

The government has published a consultation on the curriculum for the GCSE, with plans for students to study three core areas: habitats and wildlife in the UK; human influence on the natural world; and a study of climate breakdown, biodiversity loss and conservation.

The naturalist, explorer, presenter and writer Steve Backshall said that with this generation expected to confront some of the “biggest challenges humanity has ever faced”, the qualification would give them the knowledge and tools to “not just understand those challenges, but to be part of the solution”.

The subject content will also examine human influences on the natural world, such as fishing and deforestation, and explore how everyday actions, from creating wildlife-friendly gardens to reducing the mowing of roadside verges, can support biodiversity.

A key part of the GCSE will include dedicated time outside, with teachers required to include at least 20 hours of fieldwork as part of the course.

Access to green space for school pupils is far from equal. However, the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said the fieldwork could take place on school grounds or in a park.

“I want this to be a GCSE that is accessible and available to the widest range of young people, not something that is driven by whether people can afford expensive trips a considerable distance away,” she said.

Stephanie Holt, the UK biodiversity training manager at the Natural History Museum, which has been working with the government to draw up the proposed curriculum, said that by focusing on hours spent outside rather than days, it would enable teachers and pupils to focus on the “species that are around you”.

It was about “inspiring curiosity on your doorstep, literally no matter where that doorstep is”, she said.

Phillipson said the GCSE would complement existing subjects such as biodiversity and geography, and that one of the “biggest changes” would be the extent to which young people were able to spend time getting practical skills.