A question for Prof. Becky Francis at the DfE roadshow

Four of us from Global Action Plan attended the London leg of the DfE Regional Roadshow yesterday. During the final Q&A, I managed to ask the panel a question on climate change and sustainability education.

Here's what I asked, and how Chair of the Review, Prof Becky Francis answered:

Q. It's good to hear the climate and nature crisis is coming up and it has been mentioned more than once this evening, which is great. I'm looking for a bit of reassurance here really, given climate and sustainability education is an emerging field, I'm interested to know how the panel define, or understand it as a practice?

A: In terms of climate education, that's a really good question and I think it will be very much over to you and the responses to the call for evidence. We're getting lots and lots of organisations representing climate and sustainability contacting us as you can imagine and we're looking forward to digesting the viewpoints from the call for evidence. Obviously, sustainability is in the national curriculum, but I think there is some level of consensus that it is somewhat impoverished compared to the challenges we face. The ongoing question, as I think you were expressing in your question, is how that is spread across the curriculum and it what guise. So I think we are very much in listening mode.

Prof. Becky Francis introduces panellists while opening the first in a series of Curriculum and Assessment review roadshow events - November 4th, 2024

What Francis reiterated strongly during her opening remarks yesterday was the need to back up 'viewpoints' with evidence. The Francis Review will almost certainly recommend a need to address the 'impoverished' nature of climate and sustainability education. The question is what they say in those recommendations and they are clearly keen to hear from us.

So, please use the call for evidence to highlight which forms of climate change and sustainability education are effective - i.e. develop in young people an ability to think critically, creatively, systemically, and empathically, and a desire to act collectively for the good of people and planet.

Anecdotal, but to conclude, I mentioned the climate crisis at both the tables I was at, and the whole room heard the above question. I did not detect any sighs, there were no eye-rolls, I felt a lot of solidarity and interest.

So, if you are going to a roadshow and are nervous about speaking up on the crisis, don't be. And remember, we have allies, we are not the only section of the education sector that values critical thinking, creativity, project-based learning, collaboration, and compassion - therefore, emphasise the role sustainability education has to play in nurturing the above. And make clear that we're not just trying to get kids doing litter picks and gardening clubs, and we certainly aren't intending to fill their heads full of scary facts about marooned polar bears!

The call for evidence closes on Nov 22nd, you can answer confidentially if you like, YOU DO NOT NEED TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION, if time pressed, jump straight to question 54 and submit your evidence there.