We hope that you are keeping well and our apologies that we have not been in contact for some while. This has been partly because of the many pressures that schools and ITE providers have been facing; and partly because of difficulties with our website- now thankfully resolved.
We met in late 2021 with (Lord) Jim Knight who has been trying to steer a bill through Parliament to make provision in the National Curriculum regarding sustainable citizenship and protection of the environment. He was very supportive of our thinking. Partly as a result of those discussions, Humanities 20:20 is concentrating on the theme of sustainability - and the contribution of the humanities in how primary schools can address this - as one main aspect of our work in 2022.
To promote discussion on this, Stephen Scoffham, Visiting Reader in Sustainability and Education, Canterbury Christ Church University has written a short ‘think-piece’ which can be read under the Case Studies section of the website. Stephen’s book ‘Sustainability Education: A Classroom Guide’ has recently been published, see https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/sustainability-education-9781350262072/
As you may know, the DfE Strategy on Sustainability and Climate Change has also just been launched. Whilst we welcome the strategy, we feel there is scope for a much more fundamental shift in all subject areas in the primary curriculum. With this in mind we plan to add further ideas to the website in the coming months to help teachers and ITE students consider sustainability and environmental issues with their pupils through the lens of history, geography, RE and/or citizenship - or through a multi-disciplinary approach.
If you know of a primary school or a course for students (including your own) doing interesting work in this area we would love to hear from you, as we would like to share this work more widely. If so, and/or if you would like to comment on, or respond to, Stephen’s think piece, please contact Tony Eaude at tony@edperspectives.org.uk or write to info@humanities2020.org.uk We look forward to hearing your ideas or what you have been doing.
If you require further information on how your information is used, how we maintain the security of your information, and your rights to access information we hold on you, please contact Lizzy Lewis (Data Manager)