Students want more climate change education
18 Apr 2024
Almost all (93%) Cambridge International students who responded to a survey on social media are ‘concerned about climate change’, with over 75% voting for more climate change education as a way of helping them make better informed choices on travel, food and energy. In free-text answers, students stressed the importance of integrating such education across the school curricula because learning about climate change from a young age is essential for preparing future generations to tackle environmental challenges. Eighty per cent voted for more opportunities to learn about climate change at school or college.
The two-week survey, which ran across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X at the start of April, gathered responses from 303 students aged 14 to 18. It was part of a broader survey by Cambridge University Press & Assessment (Cambridge) to gauge views on climate change education not only from international students but from the public too. View press release. The findings follow the hottest year and the warmest March on record.
In addition to informing decisions on travel, food, and energy, Cambridge international students voted that climate change education could help them to:
- make more informed choices about their health (61%)
- decide what to study next (53% )
- prepare for jobs of the future (51%)
- all the above (49%).
‘Given our world’s current situation, it has become essential for all of us starting from a young age to learn how to tackle something so severe as climate change,” wrote one student in the anonymous, free-text section of the survey. ‘I believe more climate change education opportunities will not only help make [young people] conscious of the impact their actions have on the world but will also serve as a spark to ignite those ready to change the world.’ Read students comments.
Students expressed a sense of urgency in their written responses, calling for action and practical solutions to address climate change, showing concern about the consequences of inaction. Answers from students also highlighted the importance they place on raising awareness of sustainability and environmental protection more broadly beyond the school curriculum.
At the start of the year, working with Cambridge Zero to combine expertise from across the University of Cambridge, we launched an introduction paper on climate change education in schools. We have also invited educators, policymakers and thought leaders to join a climate change community focused on ensuring that we incorporate climate change education where required. Listen to Christine Özden, Global Director for Climate Education at Cambridge University Press & Assessment in conversation about the aims of this initiative.
Global update for schools about support measures and withdrawal deadlines in 2024
14 Dec 2023
Our schools around the world are much less reliant on the Covid-19 support we introduced at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. We have taken steps to gradually adjust our support measures for each exam series throughout 2023. We did this to reflect the changing needs of most schools, and at the same time continuing to provide support to those who needed it most.
In our global update in July 2023 we announced the changes to support measures from 2024. We wanted to share a reminder with you about these changes, and information about out withdrawal deadlines from June 2024 onwards.
Component exemptions from 2024 onwards
Earlier this year, we worked closely with our schools to understand any continuing impact of the pandemic, and we continued to offer component exemptions throughout 2023.
However, in general, we have seen a very low uptake of component exemptions and we confirmed in July this year that component exemptions will no longer be available from 2024 onwards, in any exam series (March, June or November).
Leaving component exemptions in place until the November 2023 exam series has given our schools time to plan their teaching for 2024 to make sure candidates complete the whole syllabus in the usual way.
Component adjustments and guidance
As we confirmed in our global update on 23 November 2022, component adjustments and guidance for components are not available for any syllabuses from our November 2023 series onwards.
You must make sure that candidates complete all components in full so that they can receive a grade. They cannot apply for a component adjustment and submit a reduced amount of work.
Leaving adjustments and guidance in place until June 2023 gave our schools time to plan their teaching for November 2023 and beyond, to make sure they teach the whole syllabus in the usual way.
Standards and grading
We know some of you have questions about standards and grading in 2023 and in particular about our return to the 2019 standard. We have detailed information about our approach for this year’s November series.
Withdrawal deadlines from May 2024 Checkpoint onwards
Following feedback from our schools we are changing our withdrawal policy from the May 2024 Checkpoint test series onwards – we have included specific deadline details for the May Checkpoint test series, June series, October Checkpoint test series and November series below.
During the pandemic, our schools faced much uncertainty, many not knowing which candidates would be able to attend exams, or even whether exams would go ahead as planned. Therefore, we extended our withdrawal deadlines so that schools could still make entries, but with the security of being able to withdraw and receive a syllabus fee credit if certain candidates, or an entire school, were adversely affected by Covid.
We know that our schools are now not being impacted by Covid in the same way, and most can run exams as normal. From May 2024 we are returning to our usual withdrawal policy which was in use until the outbreak of the pandemic. For the May Checkpoint test series and June series, this means you can withdraw candidates until 21 February and receive a credit for the syllabus fee. You can still make the withdrawal yourself, using Direct.
Once the withdrawal deadline has passed, you can still request a withdrawal for medical reasons, following bereavement, or other exceptional circumstances. We will consider any requests for non-medical withdrawals on a case-by case basis. Withdrawals made on medical grounds must be supported by a medical certificate or, in the case of a bereavement, a letter on centre-headed paper. Once we release results, we will not accept any further requests for withdrawals.
May Checkpoint test series
- Withdraw candidates by 21 February.
June series
International and UK schools:
- Withdraw candidates by 21 February.
October Checkpoint test series
- Withdraw candidates by 16 August.
November series
International schools:
- Withdraw first-time entries by 16 August
- Withdraw retake entries by 21 September.
UK schools:
- Withdraw first-time and/or retake entries by 21 September.
If you have any questions, please contact us.