Sustainability and climate change: a strategy for the education and children’s services systems

Policy paper published 21 April 2022

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainability-and-climate-change-strategy/sustainability-and-climate-change-a-strategy-for-the-education-and-childrens-services-systems

Geography Curriculum

Climate and Climate Change are only mentioned in the Geography Curriculum.

https://geography.org.uk/curriculum-support/support-guidance-curriculum-planning/the-geography-national-curriculum 

The current National Curriculum for England applies only to maintained schools in England – NOT to academies or free schools.

However, the national curriculum is used by the school inspectorate, Ofsted, as a benchmark in terms of curriculum ambition, breadth and depth.

Geography is a statutory subject throughout key stages 1-3 (ages 5-14)

It is mentioned in Key stages 2 and 3 curricula.

Key Stage 2 is the legal term for the four years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6, when the pupils are aged between 7 and 11 years.

Key Stage 3 (commonly abbreviated as KS3) is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14.

National curriculum in England: geography programmes of study

Geography is a statutory subject throughout key stages 1-3 (ages 5-14).

Published 11 September 2013

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-geography-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-geography-programmes-of-study 

Key stage 2

Human and physical geography

…describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones…

Key stage 3

Human and physical geography

• understand, through the use of detailed place-based exemplars at a variety of scales, the key processes in:
  • physical geography relating to: geological timescales and plate tectonics; rocks, weathering and soils; weather and climate, including the change in climate from the Ice Age to the present; and glaciation, hydrology and coasts
  • human geography relating to: population and urbanisation; international development; economic activity in the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors; and the use of natural resources
• understand how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on the effective functioning of natural systems

See also

https://unacentral.uk/climate-change-educational-resources/