GCSE Natural History confirmed to move ahead 

We are thrilled to announce that, as of March 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) has reconfirmed plans to move ahead with a GCSE Natural History qualification. This will be one of the first new GCSEs introduced in over a decade. 

The move is the culmination of over a decade-long campaign led by naturalist Mary Colwell and other leading environmentalists.  

The DfE plans to begin a public consultation on the proposed subject content after the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) has concluded in autumn 2025.   

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What’s happening next? 

Now the DfE has decided to take the proposal forward, they will launch a public consultation. This is likely to take place after CAR later this year. We'll keep you up to date on its progress. Please ensure you’re signed up for our email updates

We've updated our timeline to reflect this. The latest version explains the consultation process, shows the next subsequent steps and the estimated dates. 

View timeline

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Help shape the future of GCSE Natural History – join our panel 

We’d love to hear your thoughts on what a future GCSE in Natural History could look like. If you're passionate about shaping the future of this qualification, sign up to join our GCSE Natural History panel and share your ideas. 

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"A GCSE in Natural History could be a game-changer for the nature of Britain. Everyone will have the opportunity to be nature-literate, to learn about British wildlife and how it relates to the rest of the world, which is essential for a sustainable, green future." 

 Mary Colwell 


Myles_M_138x138 "The new GCSE in Natural History will open doors for students from all backgrounds to explore and connect to the natural world on their doorstep – whether their local environment is urban, coastal or rural. It will enable students to better understand the vital role nature plays in all our lives while developing knowledge and skills that will be essential for a green economy and future jobs." 

— Myles McGinley, Managing Director, Cambridge OCR