School teachers mark themselves down

Half of all primary school teachers don’t have confidence in their understanding of science to teach the subject effectively, according to the largest study ever conducted into primary school teachers’ perceptions of their own abilities to teach science.

The report by the Wellcome Trust, Queen’s University Belfast and St Mary’s University College Belfast, gives an unprecedented insight into teachers’ assessment of their own performance in the classroom. The results raise some serious questions about the training and support teachers are given and the consequences for pupils’ scientific skills and understanding as well as their interest and enthusiasm for the subject.

Over 300 primary school teachers from across the UK participated in the study exploring their attitudes and experiences in teaching science. It was also found that professional development had a clear impact on confidence levels, with teachers who had taken part in professional development programmes in science more confident in almost every aspect of teaching the subject.

Up to 60% of teachers over the age of 30, pointed towards the lack of professional development as a major problem. One teacher admitted:

“There are certain things (that we teach) that (teachers) might not have done since primary school or secondary school themselves.”

Another, speaking about training courses, said:

“There is still a vast majority of teachers who are not confident and it is never going to be addressed just through the odd in-service and the odd-session or hour talk.”

Clare Matterson, Director of Medicine, Society and History at the Wellcome Trust, said:

“The findings from this study raise serious questions that need to be addressed if we are to have inspiring and successful science teachers, and, by result, inspired and successful science pupils.

“If the UK is to remain at the forefront of global scientific expertise, we need to ensure that pupils’ are having their enthusiasm and imagination for science fuelled at an early age.

“Subject specific training needs to be given greater profile and importance to enable teachers to develop their own career and of course, give pupils the scientific grounding they need.”

The report also found that teachers felt under pressure from the breadth of the science curriculum against the time available to teach it. Some admitted that this can lead to them ‘teaching to the test’ rather than using creative approaches such as investigations and stories to relate science to pupils’ lives, which can help to develop skills, understanding and enthusiasm for the subject.

Such findings are leading to fears about the impact on the number of pupils who will continue to enjoy studying science both in pre 16 and higher education.

The report was prompted by statistics that show pupils are losing interest in science – in 1995, 80% of 10 years olds said they enjoyed science lessons, that figured had dropped to 68% in 2003. *

In November 2005 the National Science Learning Centre, funded by the Wellcome Trust and supported by DfES, will open its doors providing a dedicated and state of the art training facility for teachers from both primary and secondary schools. This will form part of a wider £51 million network of Science Learning Centres funded jointly by the Wellcome Trust and DfES.

Supportive quotes on the research and importance of good quality primary science education:

Professor Colin Pillinger said:

"Science is about finding out things and, in many cases, first you have to find out how to find out.Whilst you can predict 10% of answers you get with experiments, 90% are always a surprise, which is what makes it so much fun.When we set out to look for life on Mars we never expected that, thanks to the Wellcome Trust's support, we would end up helping to

diagnose people's illnesses more quickly."

Dr Raj Persaud said:

“I believe science teaching at primary school level must be part of the fundamental building blocks for a future solid education whatever field a child might look forward to entering in the

future. But is also vital because it is the start of the journey towards embracing a science based career eg engineering, technology, computers, software or medicine - all disciplines on which Britain's economic future will crucially depend.

“These findings are extremely worrying and should galvanise us to examine and revise science teaching at primary school level. I chose medicine partly because I was turned on to biology at primary school.”

Baroness Susan Greenfield said:

"The most important point of education is to be excited and curious about the subject.Good science teaching is vital, not just for those who wish to become scientists, but for any 21st Century citizen who wishes to join in critical debates that the new technologies are posing."

Professor Robert Winston said:

"Education, and stimulating debate amongst young people, must be the single most important goal for engaging our society with science. It will, in the long term, be the greatest contribution to ensuring scientific endeavour is properly trusted where it deserves trust and properly assessed, valued, and promoted for the benefit of society.

“So the most important people are, of course, our children. It is they who will be the real owners of the science we explore as they grow up. Let us hope we can show them the responsibility, the sensitivity, the ethics, the values that we cherish so that human society will continue to show discernment and benefit in future from the technology we scientists initiate."

Adam Hart-Davis said:

“We live in an increasingly scientific age, where we are surrounded by technology that is driven by science. Everyone needs to have a basic understanding of science just to cope with the environment, and even more important to debate and make sensible decisions about global warming, genetic research and manipulation, vaccination, and the future

of energy. Good basic science in primary schools is fundamental to a sustainable future.”

ENDS

* According to the 2003 Trends in international maths and science study – Ruddock, G. et al. (2004) Where England stands in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003. National report for England. National Foundation for Educational Research, Slough.

Media contact:

Mark Anderson, Wellcome Trust – 020 7611 8612

Notes to editor:

1. The Wellcome Trust is an independent research funding charity established in 1936 under the will of the tropical medicine pioneer Sir Henry Wellcome. The Trust’s mission is to foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health and it currently spends over £400 million per annum.