‘Schools should teach the ocean as a subject’

The ocean should be part of the National Curriculum for children from a young age, Olympic sailor Sir Ben Ainslie has said.

Sir Ben and his wife Lady Ainslie called for knowledge of the ocean as well as the challenge of plastics to be taught to pupils.

They have both been announced as ocean ambassadors for the National Marine Aquarium (NMA), which has a national school outreach programme.

The couple, who live on the Isle of Wight, are concerned that young people can go through their education without learning about the ocean.

This is despite it representing the largest living space on the planet.

Sir Ben said the issue was “very close to my heart”, particularly as the couple’s daughter Bellatrix is now two-and-a-half. He described the need for children to learn about oceans and conservation as “absolutely critical”.

His wife said: “The problems our oceans are facing aren’t just relevant to our lives now but will be to her life.

“We learn about the Earth in schools but we really need to learn about our oceans. If you love something, you want to protect it.”

The couple visited a primary school in Plymouth on Tuesday and watched pupils take a lesson from the NMA.

“They were completely enthralled and fascinated,” Lady Ainslie said.

The project uses tools including virtual reality to teach children about the underwater world.

“That sort of interactive method of teaching really hits home – they really get it,” she said.

“If they understand that message at such a young age, it will become ingrained in them.”

Lady Ainslie, right, wife of Olympic sailor Sir Ben, visits a school in her role as an ocean ambassador