Science education still not making the grade, say Ofsted

Useful experiments can assist students find out, say Ofsted. Photograph: David Sillitoe for the Guardian

Few would doubt that the sciences perform a basic function in everyone’s education. But are we – government, college leaders, teachers and inspectors – doing sufficient?

In a new Ofsted report, Keeping curiosity: a survey into science training in colleges, the answer to that question is a resounding no.

There is great information. Pupils’ achievement in science exams has risen given that our final science survey 3 years ago. But the truth is that the data masks a broad variation in overall performance amid schools, a lack of emphasis on the most-in a position pupils, and a decline in science educating in about half of the 91 main schools visited by inspectors.

Figures for 2013 present that in fee-paying out schools, one particular in 4 college students studied A-level chemistry and 17% sat physics. This compares to close to one in 7 for chemistry and 10% for physics in non-selective state colleges. This successfully implies that thousands of young folks are missing out on a world of opportunity and the nation is missing out on a big talent pool.

In the 21st century, it truly is ludicrous to feel of physics, biology or chemistry as masculine topics. But not adequate female students do A-level physics. Why do one-third of 17-12 months-previous female students drop physics soon after doing it for a year? That attrition rate is far also substantial.

So if Ofsted has a new rallying cry for science, it is that we want a lot more female physicists. This is in which college leaders come in. They can challenge assumptions, set the bar substantial, and deliver greater outcomes for youthful people.

Inspectors identified that leaders in the colleges we visited usually accepted the stereotypical alternatives that college students produced. We found that schools took little observe of why girls did not continue to research physics past sixteen.

Our inspectors identified that educating in primary and secondary colleges usually lacked ample depth to enable pupils – specifically the most in a position – to build on their science understanding. In addition, it is just not very good ample that virtually half of main colleges had been not setting targets for science and had been not monitoring students’ progress in the topic. They did not appear to see science as a priority, even though it is a core subject in the nationwide curriculum.

We had been also shocked to uncover that numerous teachers were unconvinced by scientific enquiry studying science by carrying out experiments. Ofsted is clear that scientific enquiry develops students’ tips, expertise, knowledge and knowing in younger people’s normal curiosity about the way the planet performs.

In the very best colleges – in which we identified excellent science lessons – teachers knew that science is one thing that pupils have to actually do. It is not adequate to study about what other individuals have accomplished. It flows that scientific method is the basis of scientific understanding. Science is one thing we do to learn about the natural planet.

Powerful leaders, who are ready to challenge dated assumptions about gender and subjects – complemented by confident and skilled teachers – make the distinction.

In Prince Henry’s Academy in Evesham, Worcestershire, sixth-form college students investigated the impact of temperature on air pressure. They did this by modifying the temperature of a sealed flask that was connected to a temperature gauge.

The pupils, by plotting a graph of temperature against strain, then predicted the temperature when the stress is zero, which is absolute zero (or -273C) – nothing at all decrease is achievable.

A teacher could have told pupils the temperature in individuals situations. But by undertaking scientific enquiry, the pupils discovered much more for themselves. This is an example of teaching much more on the edge of a pupil’s knowing, taking them to where they are not able to go alone.

The very best teachers, we located, are able to relate abstract scientific concepts to existing affairs. That consists of asteroids lighting up the Siberian sky, and the memorable Felix Baumgartner’s free fall from all of 24 miles up in the air.

All this issues due to the fact science training – biology, chemistry and physics – presents possibilities – in academia and with employers – for youthful men and women. Request employers and they will tell you they want a higher skills base in the labour market place.

If we all up our game, then we can open doors for young individuals that advantage not only them but our economic system also.

Michael Cladingbowl, Ofsted colleges director

Science education still not making the grade, say Ofsted