AQW 21238/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 30/06/2021
Answered On Date: 08/07/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what steps she is taking to ensure that (i) air pollution; and (ii) the associated health effects are included in the curriculum.

Answer:

Air pollution is covered within the curriculum via the World Around Us and Personal Development and Mutual Understanding at primary school and through the sustainable development area of learning at Key Stage 3. Within these areas of learning pupils explore the interdependence of people and the environment; the consequences of change on the world around us; the long term and short effect of people on the natural and built environment; positive and negative effects of natural human events globally; how to sustain personal health growth and well-being; coping safely and efficiently within the environment; and how to play an active and meaningful part in their community and within the wider environment.

This provides a standardised statutory minimum entitlement, which all children must receive. Beyond the minimum content, schools have the flexibility to decide which resources or programmes they use to support delivery of the curriculum and adopt approaches that best suit their pupils.

To support schools in the delivery of the curriculum, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) develops and produces curricular guidance and teaching support materials including resources that cover air pollution and the associated health effects.

At Key Stage 4 and post-16 pupils also have the opportunity to pursue qualifications that explicitly cover issues relevant to air pollution and the associated health effects.