The excellent letter below illustrates how state schools now reduce social mobility. The state schools are not allowed to take IGCSEs. But only the IGCSEs offer a rigorous training in science. So only those who have studied the sciences at private schools are in a good position to go on to do well in science A levels, get a good science degree and a science career. And it is not only careers in science per se that are affected but also science-based careers such as medicine. Whole swathes of bright, potential scientists at state schools are handicapped in their chances of getting good science-based careers. It is shocking. And these lives are hampered to suit the views of Left wing politicians.

Fact-free science lessons

SIR – The Government has spent huge sums on a laudable campaign to increase state-school students’ interest in becoming scientists and engineers, while simultaneously distorting the curriculum to make it more “relevant” in ways that make it more difficult to learn enough science to follow it as a career.

Content has been steadily removed in the name of accessibility. That which remains is largely chosen to illustrate wider “societal” themes, without sufficient regard to the theoretical coherence of the science being taught. I am head of science at a comprehensive school and was told at a training day: “It’s all about skills now. They [the students] can look up facts on Google.” Would you want to be treated by a doctor who has spent five years honing evaluation skills instead of mastering tedious old anatomy facts?

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), which does retain a coherent structure, isn’t offered in state schools as it doesn’t conform to the “Science Subject Criteria” (the very cause of the problem). Calls to offer the IGCSE are denounced as “elitist”.

A two-tier system is returning to British education. Are we happy with private-school students learning about electromagnetism, while their peers at comprehensives have to grapple with identifying “the use of evidence and creative thinking by scientists in the development of scientific ideas”?

Andrew Urwin
Umberleigh, Devon

The letter was in today's Telegraph.
(You have to scroll down to find it.)
See also this previous article on science GCSEs.

Posted by James Bartholomew • Indexed in Education

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