Science teachers suffering 'lack of confidence'

Many science teachers lack the confidence to teach the subject because they have had little or no training in it, says a report by Ofsted, the education standards watchdog, today. Too few allowed their pupils to do experiments – relying instead on studying textbooks, inspectors said.

Standards in the subject had stagnated for the past three years with little or no improvement in the results of national curriculum tests for pupils aged seven and 11, they found.

"Science is a fascinating subject," said Christine Gilbert, the chief inspector of schools and chief executive of Ofsted. "Yet for many pupils it lacks appeal because of the way it is taught.

"The most stimulating and engaging teaching and the best learning occur when science is brought to life and pupils are given the chance to conduct, record and evaluate their own investigations. Schools need to raise pupils' aspirations and enjoyment of science and ensure that they nurture the talents of our potential young scientists of the future."

The problem of lack of subject knowledge was most acute in primary schools, the report added. Throughout all compulsory schooling, one in four pupils was taught in unsatisfactory accommodation.

Teachers in primary and secondary schools were too concerned with meeting test and exam requirements to the detriment of scientific inquiry, Ofsted said. As a result, pupils relied too heavily on textbooks and commercially produced worksheets. Schools with the best results had introduced pupils to the idea of carrying out their own investigations from the foundation stage for three to five-year-olds.

Meanwhile, a government inquiry into maths teaching in primary schools will today recommend specialist teachers be employed to help pupils struggling with the subject.

The review, by Sir Peter Williams, follows claims that one-to-one teaching with pupils who are behind in class can have a remarkable effect on improving standards. The Government is expected to back the recommendation that there should be a move towards employing more specialist maths teachers – instead of relying on more generally trained primary teachers.

In secondary schools, only 43 per cent of teachers had a degree in the subject they taught, according to figures from a government staffing review released earlier this month. But the picture was rosier for science classes – a total of 96 per cent of biology and physics teachers had a post-A level qualification in their subject.

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