Improving Attainment in Science

Read Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education, (HMIe) report on Science Education released today.

The report is based on inspections of science in primary and secondary schools carried out between 2000 and 2004.

In a letter to SPTC, Graham Donaldson HM Senior Chief Inspector commented:
"The report confirms that areas of strength in Scottish science education are being sustained and there have been improvements in a number of key aspects. Attainment has remained strong in the early stages of primary school and at S3 to S6 across the separate sciences. The introduction of new levels of award has widened access to certificated provision for large numbers of pupils and uptake of these courses has been high and increasing. Additional funding, provided through the Scottish Executive's Science Strategy, has often been well used to improve facilities and resources for science and to build teachers' confidence and competence."

However, there continue to be significant and long-standing weaknesses in aspects of science education. Pupils continue to under-achieve at the upper stages of primary and at S1/2, and continuity and progression between primary and secondary is often poor. Too many pupils are either under-challenged or fail to see the relevance of the science they are studying to their own lives. The content of many science courses, particularly Standard Grade Science, has increasingly become out-of-date and is not meeting the needs of all pupils effectively. Across the sciences, and particularly at S3 to S6, science courses contain content which is out of date and which needs to be replaced. A more responsive model for curriculum development and professional updating needs to be found which will allow a cycle of continuous updating and reform to be implemented."

If you would like to have a look at the full report, it is available on the Inspectorate website at: www.hmie.gov.uk