High school students in the UK will have the opportunity to gain a qualification in nature, climate and conservation.

The UK government Department for Education (DfE) confirmed plans to move ahead with a GCSE in natural history, intended to give students the time, skills, and knowledge to appreciate nature, as well as develop practical skills in data analysis and observation.

OCR, the UK exam board of Cambridge University Press & Assessment, has coordinated the campaign for the new qualification - instigated by environmental campaigner Mary Colwell in 2011 - and has worked with experts to develop potential content.

Backed by institutions such as Natural History Museum and the Eden Project, it will be one of the first new GCSEs in more than a decade.

Jill Duffy, chief executive of OCR, said: “Natural history is for everyone. OCR’s Natural History GCSE will give young people the skills to understand and protect the nature on their doorstep and beyond, whether they live in urban, suburban or rural environments.

"We will continue to offer ideas and help shape this vital new qualification. Through the partnerships we’ve formed with teachers and students, we are well prepared to deliver this exciting new GCSE.”

Designed to be delivered as effectively in city centres as it can in the countryside, studies should give students a rigorous understanding of the natural world, from their own local wildlife, environment and ecosystem to critical global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity and sustainability.

Next steps will include a consultation, with a review into the proposed subject content expected in the autumn.

Speaking at a seminar in 2021, Mary Colwell said, "The GCSE in natural history would reconnect our young people with the natural world around them.

"Not just because it’s fascinating, not just because it’s got benefits for mental health, but because we’ll need these young people to create a world we can all live in, a vibrant and healthy planet.”