• Seven ways to improve science teaching, according to the EEF

    The Education Endowment Foundation has published a new report on ‘improving secondary science’, which gives seven recommendations to try out in the classroom. Sir Kevan Collins, chief executive of the EEF, said he hoped the research will help to boost science teaching, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. “The attainment gap in science may not be as…

    0.01 Sep. 21st, 2018 | News

  • When do practicals work well in science?

    Do pupils learn more science when they’re taught in classrooms – with the teacher explaining concepts –  or in labs, through pupil experimentation? Phil Naylor takes a look at what the research says, and shares some tips for effective science teaching “Are we doing a practical, sir?” screams the excited year 9 down the corridor,…

    12.00 Sep. 7th, 2018 | Opinion

  • Ofqual lowers pass grade for higher tier science

    Ofqual has dropped the pass threshold for the GCSE science higher tier exams this year, following concerns that too many pupils would receive an ‘unclassified’ result. In a blog post released today, Cath Jadhav, associate director of standards and comparability at Ofqual, explained that during the awarding period this year exam boards had reported to the…

    15.10 Aug. 20th, 2018 | News

  • Art & Design GCSE entries stay strong in face of EBacc

    Fewer pupils have been entered for non-EBacc subjects this year, except in art and design which has bucked the decline and increased by two per cent. Official government figures released this morning also show entries to EBacc subjects have soared, especially in the sciences. A larger cohort of pupils means there are more overall GCSE entries…

    10.33 May. 24th, 2018 | News

  • Science capital can be built!

    Researchers have identified “science capital” as a major factor they believe influences pupils’ decisions to study science at higher levels, writes Louise Archer Although many school students find science lessons interesting, the majority do not see science as being relevant to their lives or “for me”. In the UK and abroad, there is a widespread concern…

    5.00 Oct. 15th, 2017 | Opinion

  • Science teachers unclear over GCSE 'standard pass'

    Science teachers need clarification on what counts as a “strong” and a “standard” pass in the combined science GCSE because they cannot predict outcomes, policy experts have claimed. Pupils taking the double-award combined science GCSE will get two numbered grades, such as a 5-4, rather than just one, when they sit their papers in 2018.…

    5.00 Oct. 15th, 2017 | News

  • Only 1 in 4 pupils meets expected standard in science tests

    Less than one in four primary pupils reached the expected standard in science last year, according to figures buried in a data release at the end of the last academic year. In July, the Standards and Testing Agency released the key stage 2 science sampling results for 2016, which showed that just 23 per cent…

    5.00 Sep. 30th, 2017 | News

  • Literacy strongest predictor of science grades

    A new report on socioeconomic status (SES) and science learning has found literacy is “the strongest and most consistent predictor of pupils’ scientific attainment”. Reading and writing skills are particularly important for helping pupils to understand scientific vocabulary and prepare their own scientific reports, according to the research from the University of Oxford. The Education…

    0.01 Sep. 22nd, 2017 | News

  • Animal dissection must be cut from the curriculum

    The modern curriculum is no place for cutting up dead animals, argues PETA’s Dr Julia Baines As a teacher, if you could take a stand against needless suffering while improving your students’ learning experience, wouldn’t you jump at the opportunity? Fortunately, this isn’t a rhetorical exercise: you can do both, by replacing animal dissection with…

    12.00 Sep. 14th, 2017 | Opinion

  • How worrying is the drop in Science results?

    GCSE results out. Ofqual have released numbers showing the dips and rises in school numbers. It shows a quirk with science. Each year on results day Ofqual produce boring-sounding ‘variability charts’. Dull name, but important data. These charts show how many ‘centres’ (schools or colleges) dropped or increased their results compared to the previous year.…

    11.06 Aug. 25th, 2016 | Opinion

  • Science GCSE pass rate drops as pupils shift from other courses

    GCSE results day 2016 has revealed a dramatic drop of 3.8 per cent in the A*-C rate for science, resulting from significant changes to student entry patterns. The A*-C grades for additional science also fell by 3.5 percentage points. At A*-A only, overall science results dipped by 0.7 percentage points, and additional science by 1.4…

    10.51 Aug. 25th, 2016 | News