Secondary school science has improved, says Ofsted

Ofsted inspectors looking at science teaching in nearly 200 schools and colleges in England, based on inspection reports from 2007 to 2010, have concluded that the quality of science education in England’s secondary schools has improved over the past three years. They have also said how the scrapping of national tests in science has also led to more enjoyable lessons – and less learning by rote.

Attainment has risen at GCSE level, with more pupils taking separate sciences, inspectors said. Last year, about 12,000 more students were awarded an A* or A at GCSE in each of the three sciences (chemistry, biology and physics) than in 2009, an increase of 24%.

The scrapping of national tests (Sats) in science in 2008 has also led to a reduction in the number of revision lessons, thereby “freeing teachers to be innovative in planning their teaching and in enriching the science curriculum”.

The inspectors also noted that achievement in science was either good or outstanding in just over two thirds of the schools visited; while teaching was at least good in about three quarters, with more outstanding teaching in secondary schools than in primaries. They attributed this to a lack of confidence in primary teachers, claiming that too few took up extra training in the subject.

The full story can be read on the BBC News website.

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