The DfE’s Curriculum and Assessment Review and the government’s response promise a “world-class curriculum for all” by 2028. There are wins: climate and sustainability named, oracy and media literacy pushed forward, and EBacc losing its grip. But there are gaps that matter:
- Climate literacy without time or assessment leverage risks tokenism. Climate education continues to be mostly siloed.
- Disconnect from the Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy—schools already need Climate Action Plans by 2025.
- Decolonising reduced to representation, not structural change.
- Safeguarding blind spot: no recognition of climate anxiety despite mounting evidence.
- Outdoor learning seen as ‘enrichment’ rather than core.
My full breakdown explores why this matters for all educators, not just geographers, and what schools can do now—from mapping climate concepts and auditing for justice gaps to treating climate literacy as safeguarding.
👉 Read my full analysis and practical steps on by blog via free subscription (all you need is an email): https://geogramblings.com/2025/11/12/curriculum-reform-climate-literacy-safeguarding-decolonising-what-we-teach-and-why-in-light-of-the-dfe-review/
Published by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)
Kit Marie Rackley (they/she) is an award-winning ex high-school Geography teacher in the UK. Throughout that time and continuing today, Kit Marie provides teacher continuous professional development (CPD) and training, which previously included a role as Associate Tutor for the School of Education at the University of East Anglia.
Kit Marie has worked as an education consultant and project manager with climate and energy scientists, including researchers based at NOAA Boulder, Colorado and as an educator and trainer at the Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco, California, and is now freelance consultant with the UK’s Geographical Association and the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT). They are a published educational author, including works with National Geographic Kids and Diverse Educators.
Kit Marie is a strong and passionate advocate of youth voice and empowerment, decolonising the curriculum, and inclusive and intersectional education. Much of their work revolves around the climate crisis, focusing around framing it as a school safeguarding issue. Kit Marie runs an educational resource blog at Geogramblings.com, and is host and producer of the Coffee & Geography podcast.
View all posts by Kit Marie Rackley (they/she)
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