Remove chick hatching from the curriculum – Take action!

Posted on the 28th March 2023

Animal Aid’s new campaign, which calls for chick hatching projects to be removed from the curriculum guidance was launched this month.

The Notes and guidance in the Living things and their habitats section of the Year 5 National Curriculum science programme of study suggests that: “They (pupils) might observe changes in an animal over a period of time (for example, by hatching and rearing chicks) . . .”.

We are calling on the Department for Education to remove this sentence from the guidance and to consider more ethical and relevant options such as nest webcams.

Take action:

Email Gillian Keegan MP, Secretary of State for Education requesting that the reference to hatching and rearing chicks be removed from the Year 5 National Curriculum science programme of study Notes and guidance.
View and download the sample letter that you can use to write your letter or email.
Hear from a vet nurse about a school chick rescue.
Listen to Neil Winn-Williams talking about how hatching projects have affected the Foal Farm Animal Rescue Centre.
Download our What’s wrong with hatching projects? factsheet.
Find out more about hatching projects here.