Quality | 2009.08.22
Science GCSEs 'unfit for purpose'
The government\'s science tsar, appointed by ministers to raise the profile of the subject in schools and universities, has launched a devastating attack on GCSE exams, claiming that they lack academic rigour.
Just days before hundreds of thousands of pupils collect their results, John Holman said GCSEs in biology, physics, chemistry and combined sciences were in some ways not "fit for purpose". Questions lacked mathematical and sometimes even scientific content, he said, and exams failed to stretch the brightest pupils.
"I think it is a serious problem," said Holman, national director of the government\'s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Stem) programme. "Maths is the language of science, yet in recent years we have seen a reduction in the mathematical content of the questions."
The admission triggered concerns among employer bodies, the Institute of Directors and the CBI. "In a recent survey, increasing the number of young people studying Stem was nominated as one of the top business priorities for government action," said Mike Harris, head of education and skills policy at the IoD. "These conclusions draw big question marks over quality as well as quantity of supply."
Susan Anderson, director of education policy at the CBI, agreed: "Students need a better grasp of maths."
Holman also said that more pupils should be given the option of studying three sciences at GCSE, as evidence suggested it made them more likely to take science to A-level and beyond. "Between a third and a half of schools offer triple science. That is quite a growth from when it was the preserve of independent and grammar schools, but there is some way to go."
Holman said his criticisms were aimed at exams, not the curriculum, which was "broadly right". He particularly highlighted "How Science Works" – a new GCSE science topic. He said: "It is the essence of being scientific and is really important. But the quality of some of the questions has really been very worrying. Awarding bodies have some work to do to help their question-setters to improve the standard there."
He said he agreed with some of the conclusions drawn by Ofqual – the exams regulator – which recently admitted that some parts of science GCSEs failed to challenge pupils.
The schools minister, Iain Wright, said last night: "We acknowledge the problems identified with science GCSE by Ofqual … Ofqual and the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency are working to improve the science GCSEs."
Jon Edwards, of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: "In the past, a pupil was given a problem and asked to give an answer; now they have their hand held all the way through."
Despite his criticisms, Holman said he was pleased to see more pupils opting for science at A-level.
This week\'s GCSE results are likely to trigger fresh debate over the plight of children emerging without five good GCSEs into a recession.
Ed Balls, the education secretary, will announce shortly that Labour\'s National Challenge scheme, forcing schools where fewer than 30% of pupils get five good GCSEs to improve or shut, has cut the number of failing schools from more than 600 last year to around 280.
Ministers also say their "September guarantee" – from autumn all 16 to 18-year-olds will be offered a job, apprenticeship, training, school or college place – should stop those who are not academic falling by the wayside. However, college leaders this weekend accused the government of failing to fund the guarantee.
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009[...]se-science-tsar-standards-stem
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