Presentation to Senior Managers and Governors

2 A context for change: preparation for society Young people need to develop their personal skills and a set of thinking and learning skills… Thinking and learning skills mean knowing how to learn independently and adapt to a range of circumstances.. Together these skills are essential for raising standards, further learning, employment and dealing with a range of real-world problems…. Government White Paper February 2005

3 Developing independent learning skills These skills are not separately taught, but brought out by expert teachers through the methods they use to teach curriculum subjects. Proposed QCA skills framework

4 Embracing the opportunity….  Science education has two jobs to do - scientific literacy v pre-professional training  Key aspects of the previous GCSE science curriculum did not work for many pupils - a change was needed  The new specifications offer diversity and choice - different courses meet the differing needs of different groups of pupils

5 Entry levelGCSE Science GCSE Additional Science GCSE Additional Applied Science GCSE Biology GCSE Chemistry GCSE Physics or Single Award Full range GCSE F and H tiers Single Awards Full range GCSEs F and H tiers Single Awards Full range GCSEs F and H tiers For all studentsFor most studentsFor some students OCR’s Entry Level Course feeds into GCSE Science C21 courses

6 Relationship between the the C21 courses

7 “….secondary science on the other hand was like being on a train in carriages that had blanked out windows. You were going in a single direction about which you had no choice. The train stopped at every station and you had to get off, whether you liked it or were interested or not, and pay attention to what the driver told you to do. “Then you got back on the train and off you went to the next station – but because the windows were opaque you could not see the countryside in between, so you did not know how the stations were linked or related to each other.” Claxton: Educating the enquiring mind Previously…..

8  A lot of the stuff is irrelevant. You’re just going to go away from school and you’re never going to think about it again.  It doesn’t mean anything to me. I’m never going to use that. It’s never going to come into anything, it’s just boring.  It’s all crammed in … You catch bits of it, then it gets confusing, then you put the wrong bits together … [From: Osborne, J. and Collins, S. (2000). Pupils’ and Parents’ Views of the School Science Curriculum. London: King’s College.] Student views of the old courses

9 Relevance? Student: “The blast furnace, so when are you going to use a blast furnace? I mean, why do you need to know about it? You’re not going to come across it ever. I mean look at the technology today, we’ve gone onto cloning. It’s a bit away off from the blast furnace now, so why do you need to know it?”

10 In the classroom

11 The majority study two GCSEs “…… Every young person will have a statutory entitlement to science study leading to two GCSEs and we expect that, as now, at least 80% of students will continue to take at least two science GCSEs, with many progressing to science courses at higher levels. We will take further action, if necessary to maintain the numbers of young people taking two science GCSEs.” White paper February 2005

12 Science innovations and investment framework In March 2006, the Government declared new ambitions to improve STEM skills: – Achieve year on year increase in the number of young people taking A levels in physics, chemistry and mathematics; – Continually improve the number of pupils getting at least level 6 at the end of KS3; – Continually improve the number of pupils achieving A* - B and A* - C grades in two science GCSEs; – Step up recruitment, retraining and retention of physics, chemistry and mathematics specialist teachers.

13 Current measures  Make science a priority in schools by including science in the School Accountability Framework;  An entitlement from 2008 for all pupils achieving at least level 6 at KS3 to study three separate science GCSEs, to increase progression to, and attainment at, A level sciences;  Continue to recruit science graduates into teaching via Employment Based Routes with new incentives to providers of £1k per recruit to attract more physics and chemistry teachers;  Develop and pilot a CPD programme, leading to an accredited diploma, to give existing science teachers without physics and chemistry specialism the deep subject knowledge and pedagogy they need to teach these subjects effectively.

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