New report from the Royal Society highlights the need for specialist science teachers in primary schools

According to the Royal Society's 'State of the nation - science and mathematics education, 5-14' report, published on 7 July, primary schools in England do not have enough specialist teachers to provide youngsters with a high quality science education. The report calls for a major new drive to recruit specialist science teachers and maths teachers, including the potential need to triple the number of science 'specialists' in order to ensure that there is a specialist in each of over 17 000 primary schools in England.

The Royal Society also claimed that England's testing regime 'stifled creativity' and that there should instead be a move away from 'teaching to the test', as well as a greater emphasis on practical work to help youngsters understand the subjects. The report emphasises that 'teaching to the test' has little actual effect on pupils' achievement in the subject and leads to a lack of basic conceptual understanding of science - a deficiency that is exposed at secondary school when science is disaggregated into biology, chemistry and physics.

Professor John Pethica, vice-president of the Royal Society, said: "It is essential that we ensure children have positive experiences with science education, from teachers that are qualified to provide it. The UK government must increase the number of science specialist teachers at primary level to ensure that all children have the best start in science."

The full report from the Royal Society can be downloaded on the left-hand side of this page.