APPENDIX 8
Memorandum submitted by the Association
of Colleges
KEY POINTS
1. College practitioners agree that science
education is important and has a variety of purposes, linked both
to student aspiration but also contributing to the all round education
of a young person; to equip them with the evaluative skills and
knowledge to make informed decisions in a rapidly moving, technological
world; and to promote responsible and informed citizenship.
2. Whilst acknowledging that pure science
subjects, followed as part of an A Level programme, are less popular
with students than formerly, the Association draws to the attention
of the committee to the significant amount of applied science
being delivered in colleges to learners opting for vocationally
orientated programmes, including GNVQs and the National Diplomas.
3. In relation to current science education,
it is the Association's view that the current science curriculum
is inadequate to meet the needs of all learners post-16. Those
learners who do not achieve five GCSE passes grades A*-C are effectively
disbarred from progressing to further science education, except
through a vocationally specific course.
4. Students take a more strategic approach
to learning, based on fulfilling examination and test requirements.
They are unfamiliar with a learning approach which is based on
concepts and abstraction, having had no exposure to this sort
of learning at GCSE. Students will only engage in learning that
they perceive to be relevant to their existing experience. Expert
science practitioners stress the importance of the practical,
laboratory and field based learning as a means of engaging learners
in science. They are concerned that time constraints are tending
to reduce the time for this sort of learning, and they point to
a disappointing trend towards a more didactic style of teaching,
as science staff attempt to cover the content of the specifications.
5. Students perceive science subjects as
"hard". They will compare examination results to determine
how they can maximise their points score for progression to Higher
Education, with the result that they may reject science subjects.
6. The skills required to progress to science
learning at level three need to be in place at the end of Key
Stage 4. The curricula in Maths and Science, together with the
opportunities to study applied science through vocationally orientated
courses, need to be reviewed at level two, to ensure they are
fit for purpose in inspiring young people and preparing them for
progression to level three.
7. Students often lack the basis algebraic
and data handling skills they need to succeed on a pure science
course. This is because the facility to select within the Maths
GCSE specifications can allow a student to gain a grade C without
these skills. Remedial work in the first year post 16 adds to
existing pressures on delivery, particularly of AS subjects.
8. At advanced level, AVCEs do not offer
a real alternative post 16 in terms of assessment and learning
styles, being closely aligned to A Level methodology and standards.
Proposed GCSEs in Applied subject follow the same model of equivalence
with existing GCSEs, and as such do not address the needs of learners
who respond better to other learning and assessment styles.
9. The Association does not anticipate that
the introduction of vocationally orientated GCSEs will significantly
contribute to government targets at level two, which in turn will
not effectively address the progression to, and achievement at,
level three and beyond.
10. Science practitioners confirm that students
will have difficulty sustaining interest in the study of science
based subjects, unless theory is backed up with practical experience.
FE Colleges have found it difficult to sustain what they regard
as sufficient practical time, given resourcing constraints.
11. Given this caveat, new curriculum developments
are giving the opportunity to deliver science in a relevant, topical
way in some specifications, which is welcomed by expert practitioners
in colleges.
12. Many teaching and learning issues could
be addressed through a review of how science education is funded.
Mechanisms exist to acknowledge the cost of physical resources,
the time and the teaching expertise needed to deliver a dynamic
science curriculum, with the right balance of theory, applied
knowledge and practical work.
13. In science teaching as in other areas,
the under-funding of Further Education in comparison with schools
and Higher Education is leading to a loss of science expertise,
and an inability to maintain and improve existing teaching resources.
The Association believes this needs to be addressed as matter
of urgency, so that existing staff are retained and new recruits
will be attracted to science and mathematics teaching, to meet
the needs of a wider age range of learners.
14. Assessment needs to be fit for purpose,
and there are real concerns that assessment is driving, rather
than supporting the learner. The extent and purpose of assessment
needs to be reviewed, to ensure that subjects are being assessed
in the most appropriate way. Critically, the timing of summative
examinations in relation to the academic year needs to be addressed
to give learners the maximum opportunity to demonstrate their
knowledge and skills.
15. FE colleges welcome the invitation to
lead the formation of collaborative links with schools to provide
14-16 year old learners greater opportunities to access specialist
science equipment and expertise available in colleges. However,
if this opportunity is to be fully implemented across all areas
of the curriculum, erosion in the funding of FE colleges, to the
extent that colleges are today only funded at the level achieved
five years ago, will need to be addressed. Support for college
science teachers will need to be in place, to prepare them for
working with younger learners, and the significant differences
between the terms and conditions of school teaching staff and
college lecturers addressed.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
16. The Association would recommend that
the Inquiry ensures that it reports on the appropriateness and
relevance of the present curriculum for all learners, being particularly
mindful of the 50 per cent of young people who, at the end of
statutory schooling, have not achieved five GCSEs grades A*-C.
17. The Association advises that it is only
by broadening the pathways to Higher education generally, that
the government will meet its target that 50 per cent of learners
under the age of 30 will progress to Higher Education by 2010.
18. Students opting for learning routes
other than A Level courses will need equality of opportunity to
access appropriate degree courses. There will need to be clearer
indications from Higher Education than are currently evident that
such pathways exist and that students are welcome through such
a route. Learners must be confident that access through these
alternative pathways are recognised, valid and will allow them
to progress. AVCEs and those vocationally oriented courses with
applied science content are examples of such alternative learning
routes.
19. The Association recommends the Committee
reviews the science curriculum to ensure alternative routes are
provided for those 16 year old learners who have not achieved
five GCSEs grades A*-C:
— review the range of science and vocationally
oriented courses with an applied science component available at
levels one and two, with a view to ensuring a sufficient breadth
of science based courses exist at all levels;
— ensure that, in addition to a variety
of pure and applied science qualifications being available at
all levels, a choice of learning styles and assessment methods
are available, appropriate for the needs of a diverse range of
learners;
— ensure that qualifications at one
level link to qualifications at the next, and prepare learners
for courses at the next level.
20. The Association welcomes the move away
from age related learning to a more flexible curriculum which
will encourage learners to continue in education post-16. This
is a principle the Association has long lobbied for; it appears
as an underpinning principle in its new Policy documents.
21. The association suggests that student
perceptions relating to Science qualifications at level three
are tested:
— by reviewing the relative standard
at which Science papers are marked to ensure parity of standard
with other subjects;
— reviewing the specifications and
content of Science subjects to ensure that theory, concepts and
principles can be related to student experience;
— reviewing the balance between theory
and practical application, to ensure that there is sufficient
opportunity for practical application;
— reviewing the capital costs associated
with practical work;
— reviewing the specifications for
each subject to ensure the amount of theoretical content to be
covered does not erode the essential laboratory practicals, so
crucial to maintain student interest and motivation.
22. In relation to the 14-19 Agenda, the
Association has identified the following issues to be addressed
and clarified:
— how colleges will be funded to deliver
science (and other subjects) to learners in schools;
— how additional costs, associated
with collaboration will be funded;
— how differences in the funding of
schools and colleges can be reconciled;
— how differences in pay and conditions
of school and college personnel might be addressed;
— how further education staff will
receive the support and training they will need to take on 14-16
work;
— how differences in requirements associated
with learners of lower ages will be managed;
— how the interface between LLSCs and
LEAs will work.
23. The Association wonders whether paucity
of experimentation and practical experience in compulsory schooling
may deny learners the opportunity of discovering how they learn
best and by what methods they can reinforce their learning. It
may be far more important long-term for these skills to be developed
than the current emphasis at GSCE level on the regurgitation of
facts.
24. Further work needs to be undertaken,
to encourage more girls to take up sciences. In June 2001, for
example, 21,751 male students sat the Physics A Level examination
(legacy) but only 5,985 females. (Source Joint Council for General
Qualifications Results 2001)
25. The Association would recommend that
the Committee considers how the erosion in real terms of funding
to colleges over the last five years has contributed to an under
resourcing of science education in Further Education.
26. The Association recommends that urgent
consideration be given to the timetabling of examinations in the
academic year, to minimise disruption and provide the maximum
teaching, learning and revision time to the learner.
27. If it is the case that assessment styles
are a factor when learners choose a science course, then the Association
would recommend that continuous assessment should be examined
by the committee as a means of attracting more young people to
take science based courses.
28. The Association believes the time is
right to take an overview of examination purpose and procedure
— has the whole process become overwhelming? Have the benefits
been lost if learners turn away from some forms of assessment?
Are examinations a contributory factor in turning learners away
from science — indeed, in turning them off learning altogether?
As one practitioner rather graphically described it, "Have
students become burnt out by the age of 16 by a system that assesses
them to a greater extent than ever before?"
INTRODUCTION
29. The Association of Colleges is the representative
body for further education colleges, established by colleges themselves
to provide a voice for the FE sector at national level. The membership
includes colleges of all types—general further education,
sixth form, agricultural and horticultural, art design and performing
arts, and other specialist colleges. Membership covers colleges
in England, Wales (through affiliation arrangements with Fforwm)
and Northern Ireland (through the Association of Northern Ireland
Colleges). Some 99 per cent of colleges in the three countries
are in membership.
CONTEXT OF
THE INQUIRY
30. The Association welcomes the decision
of the Committee to conduct an inquiry into Science Education
from 14-19. Significant recent curriculum developments, together
with changes in the organisation of funding and the management
of provision, make such an inquiry timely.
31. These curriculum developments, as they
relate to the Further Education sector include:
— the implementation of Curriculum
2000, providing opportunities for gaining a broader range of qualifications
and to tailor learning to individual needs by all colleges;
— the delivery of Key Skills to all
learners;
— encouraging new learners to return
to learning or to stay in learning where formerly they would have
left at 16, ie implementing the widening participation agenda;
— widely adopting the unitised approach
to the delivery and assessment of learning programmes, through
the development of units of learning. This approach, which has
been available in science teaching since 1994 when modular science
specifications were introduced, can make learning more accessible,
providing early feedback on progress and increasing flexibility;
these characteristics can increase motivation and engage learners,
particularly those who respond better to project based learning,
with interim assessment, rather than a summative examination.
32. The Association is aware that within
the context of these developments, the number of learners taking
qualifications in pure science subjects is in decline when compared
with previous years and that, expressed as a proportion of candidates,
the percentage opting for science subjects at level three is also
falling.
33. However, it would also note that a significant
amount of science, integrated in courses with a vocational focus,
is being delivered in some schools and extensively in colleges.
Examples of the vocational areas at level three covered by such
courses include Health and Social Care, Beauty Therapy, and Sports
Science, Pharmacy and Hairdressing.
34. This is applied science with a clear
relevance to the student, delivered as it naturally supports the
development of vocationally oriented skills and knowledge. It
is not labelled as "science" and thus avoids the preconceptions
that the majority of learners bring with them from their compulsory
schooling — that is, that science is difficult; that science
is all about theory; that science has little relevance to the
learner; that science is "not for them". Possible reasons
for this are explored below.
35. Vocationally linked courses are popular
with learners. They provide an alternative route for those who
are seeking a vocationally linked programme of study; or for those
who do not wish to study pure science; or whose achievement at
GCSE, particularly in Maths, would indicate that a traditional
combination of science A Level subjects (for example Maths, Physics
and Chemistry) may not be appropriate. An increasing number of
learners with higher grades choose this route as a pathway which
will prepare them for a career.
OBJECTIVES OF
THE EVIDENCE
SUBMITTED BY
THE ASSOCIATION
OF COLLEGES
36. The Association is pleased to have an
opportunity to assist the Committee in this inquiry. The evidence
which follows seeks to:
37. Review the purpose of science education
and its future role in the education of 14-19 year olds.
38. Review the increasingly diverse needs
of learners.
39. Review the nature of current science
courses and assess how well they meet the needs of learners, Higher
Education and the needs of sectors of industry.
40. Review how science is taught and assessed
and offer views as to how this might be improved, including the
teaching of mathematics.
41. Consider the assessment of science and
the development of different approaches to assessing skills, knowledge
and application.
42. Assess the potential of the new approach
to 14-19 education in schools, colleges (and the workplace?) and
offer views as to how the strengths of FE may best be utilised
in collaborative partnerships with schools.
43. To inform the preparation of the Memorandum,
the Association undertook various consultation exercises with
the FE sector. It took written evidence from the Further Education
sector. It held a focus group meeting for expert practitioners
in science. It visited a college science department, holding in-depth
interviews with Heads of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths.
44. Colleges with grade one in science inspections
were well represented at this consultation meeting, which was
also attended by the head of department for Science from the first
Centre of Vocational Excellence in Applied Science.
45. The Association also consulted awarding
bodies on their current and forthcoming plans to develop the range
of science specifications which are being piloted or planned for
implementation.
THE PURPOSE
OF SCIENCE
EDUCATION AND
ITS FUTURE
ROLE IN
THE EDUCATION
OF 14-19 YEAR
OLDS
46. The Association was pleased to note
the opportunity that the terms of reference of the enquiry afford
for a fundamental review of science education, and the specific
reference by the committee to the role of science in contributing
to the skills required for citizenship in the 21st century.
47. In any curriculum debate, the Association
is committed to an approach that starts with the needs of the
individual learner, and asks how well the education available
responds to, and meets those needs. The Association has been mindful
of the needs of all learners as it has prepared its evidence,
particularly that significant number of learners who have not
yet acquired at the age of 16 those GCSE qualifications necessary
to progress to advanced level study.
48. The Association would recommend that
the Inquiry ensures that it reports on the appropriateness and
relevance of the present curriculum for all learners, being particularly
mindful of the 50 per cent of young people who, at the end of
statutory schooling, have not achieved five GCSEs grades A*-C.
THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF GCSE PASSES
IN SHAPING
CHOICES POST-16
49. In relation to science education, it
is the Association's view that the current science curriculum
has not developed to meet the needs of this majority of learners.
50 per cent of learners have not achieved five GCSE passes grade
A*-C by the time they finish compulsory schooling.
50. For those learners who have achieved
good grades at GCSE, the traditional AS/A Level route is available
although some may opt for the vocational route. Practitioners
concede that the specifications of these science A levels generally
fit the requirements of HE, although they have reservations about
the volume of content to be covered, and the amount of time available
for practical work, essential for making concepts relevant to
learners. In addition, learners are undertaking key skills as
part of their programme.
51. AVCEs, the qualification which has been
introduced to replace the vocationally oriented GNVQs at level
three should provide an alternative style of learning for students
at level three. Unfortunately, because this qualification has
been set at a standard which is higher than AS level subjects,
many students who took this examination this year have been disappointed
with their results. Colleges have needed to set an entry standard
as high, or in some cases, higher than for AS/A Level study.
52. The majority of learners, therefore,
will not have achieved sufficiently high grades at GCSE to take
either the A Level science route, or the AVCE route. Additionally,
many learners are undecided at the age of 16 as to their subject
specialism or career goal and may wish to keep their options open,
by taking a mix of arts and science subjects. They are encouraged
to do so under Curriculum 2000.
53. The current science curriculum offers
no viable alternative for learners to continue a general science
education beyond the age of 16 who have not achieved high grades
in school and for whom a practical, rather than theoretical approach
works best. This will be explored in detail below.
54. Without this alternative, many learners
who would benefit from an educational experience which would include
science, are denied exposure to the practical and analytical skills,
methodologies and approaches to problem solving and decision making
that a general science education can give.
55. The only courses that deliver such science
are those with a clear vocational bias. Colleges tell us that
where students are ready to make such a commitment, these programmes
of vocationally oriented learning, for example the BTEC National
Diplomas, are well thought of and provide students with a sound
preparation for jobs or progression to some Higher Education provision.
56. The Association strongly supports the
introduction of Foundation degrees, now being delivered in Higher
and Further Education colleges as providing a new progression
route for those taking applied science courses linked to a vocational
sector.
57. The Association advises that it is only
by broadening the pathways to Higher Education generally, that
the government will meet its target that 50 per cent of learners
under the age of 30 will progress to Higher Education by 2010.
58. Students opting for learning routes
other than A Level courses will need equality of opportunity to
access appropriate degree courses. There will need to be clearer
indications from Higher Education than are currently evident that
such pathways exist and that students are welcome through such
a route. Learners must be confident that access through these
alternative pathways are recognised, valid and will allow them
to progress.
59. AVCEs and those vocationally oriented
courses with applied science content are examples of such alternative
learning routes.
THE ROLE
OF SCIENCE
EDUCATION IN
PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE
AND INFORMED
CITIZENSHIP
60. Further Education colleges support an
approach in which all students have the opportunity to develop
skills for responsible citizenship, as well as being equipped
with the skills, knowledge and qualifications they need to meet
their aspirations.
61. Science staff would argue that the study
of science makes a significant contribution to the development
of such essential skills. They tell us that plans to withdraw
the vocationally oriented, skills-based courses at levels one
and two (GNVQ qualifications) will effectively disenfranchise
many learners from science beyond compulsory school age.
62. GNVQ courses in Science and other vocationally
linked courses including those with a significant applied science
component, at levels one and two, currently provide an important
alternative ladder for those students who have not achieved five
GCSEs grades A*-C at the age of 16.
63. The Association is pleased to note that
the DfES has now extended the withdrawal date for these GNVQ qualifications,
so that learners may continue to be registered for these programmes
up to August 2006. The Association will continue its lobbying
for an alternative qualification of this type beyond 2006, given
its significance in providing for a significant number of learners
the curriculum they need.
AoC Recommendations
64. In order to ensure alternative routes
are provided for those 16 year old learners who have not achieved
five GCSEs grades A*-C:
— review the range of science and vocationally
oriented courses with an applied science component available at
levels one and two, with a view to ensuring a sufficient breadth
of science-based courses exist at all levels;
— ensure that, in addition to a variety
of pure and applied science qualifications being available at
all levels, a choice of learning styles and assessment methods
are available, appropriate for the needs of a diverse range of
learners;
— ensure that qualifications at one
level link to qualifications at the next, and prepare learners
for courses at the next.
The Purpose of Science Education
65. College practitioners agree that science
education has a variety of purposes, linked both to student aspiration
but also contributing to the all round education of a young person.
The purposes of science education, therefore, may be summarised
thus:
— to provide young people who have
aspirations to study science at degree level with the necessary
theoretical and analytical skills, reinforced with practical application
and experimentation, which will prepare them for study at level
four;
— to provide young people opting for
an occupationally related programme of learning, the underpinning
knowledge and principles and skills which will prepare them for
progression and employment; and to ensure that such skills developed
can be safely applied by the learner in a variety of situations
or can be transferred to new ones;
— to provide all young people with
the skills and knowledge they require to become informed and responsible
citizens in the twenty first century;
— to operate and take informed decisions
in an increasingly technological, rapidly changing world;
— to make risk assessments related
to technological achievements, for example in genetic modification;
— to make informed decisions on ethical
issues arising from advances in science, for example on the use
of cloning;
— to take part in the debate on global
issues, for example on conservation, global warming, nuclear energy.
66. The skills developed through general
science education can be summarised as follows—evaluating
of evidence; making decisions based on facts; intelligently interpreting
graphical and numerical data; challenging perceived or given positions;
testing ideas and asking pertinent questions; and problem solving.
A REVIEW OF
THE INCREASING
DIVERSITY OF
LEARNER NEEDS
AND ASPIRATIONS,
AND THEIR
CHANGING ATTITUDE
TO LEARNING
67. In this section the Association would
like to explore the increasing diversity of students; the change
in learners' attitudes and perceptions; their more open-ended
and flexible approach to career planning and the increasing range
of learner needs and support, resulting in part in the success
of colleges in widening participation. This paper considers this
diversity of needs and aspirations within the context of a correspondingly
wide range of learner achievement evident at the end of compulsory
schooling.
68. Until now, the end of compulsory education
in schools at the age of 16 has been marked with watershed examinations—GCSEs.
These qualifications have exerted a powerful influence on the
direction an individual might take, and, as we have shown, continue
to disbar a significant proportion of learners from progressing
to Advanced level courses, particularly in Science.
69. Although Applied GCSEs are to be introduced,
it appears that a similar situation is likely to arise as has
been experienced with the introduction of AVCEs at level three.
Given their standard, assessment methods and equivalence to existing
qualifications, they are unlikely to broaden very significantly
the number of learners who will reach the standard required to
progress to level three.
70. Until recently, it would be fair to
say that, on the whole, learners who achieved well in GCSE examinations
tended to stay on in education, take advanced level courses and
proceed to university level study or training. The positive outcomes
they obtained at GCSE acted as an incentive to stay on in full
time study. Although it may also be fair to say that where attractive,
relevant and well marketed vocational options are available, that
may lead into HE, high achieving students may choose this route
eg sports science students have progressed into physiotherapy,
normally requiring about three grade Bs at Levels.
71. Those who did not achieve as well tended
to leave full time education—it has to be said, on a fairly
negative note.
72. More recently, all learners have been
encouraged to remain in education beyond their sixteenth birthday.
However, practitioners tell us that the lack of prior attainment
at GCSE often manifests itself in these learners in low self esteem,
lack of confidence (particularly evident in numerical skills)
and poor motivation. Colleges have needed to develop strategies
to support these learners. Critical to their success is the need
for a sufficiently diverse range of courses and qualifications
which match the level and preferred learning style of this cohort,
and a proper emphasis on support for students and their development
of personal and study skills.
73. The Association welcomes, therefore,
the intention of the Government to move away from the potential
divisiveness of GCSEs at the age of 16, through the introduction
of its new 14-19 agenda.
74. These proposals establish a continuum
in education after Key Stage 3 and up to the age of 19, with learners
taking examinations at the point at which they are ready. This
approach will challenge those who are ready to take GCSEs earlier
than aged 16, and provide more time for those that need it.
75. The Association welcomes the move away
from age-related learning to a more flexible curriculum which
will encourage learners to continue in education post-16. This
is a principle the Association has long lobbied for; it appears
as an underpinning principle in its new Policy documents.
76. This development should allow more learners
to achieve qualifications and reach their potential when formerly
they would have left education. It may allow more learners to
qualify for progression to pure science courses. However where
the Association can see particular benefits is for the delivery
of applied science through the vocationally orientated courses
which will now be available to learners from the age of 14.
Changing Attitudes to Learning
77. Practitioners tell us that young people
today have a very different attitude to learning, so it is vital
that science courses—indeed all learning—take account
of this shift. Young people take a far more calculated and strategic
approach to learning, based often on the minimum needed to pass
examinations and tests, which may be partly accounted for by the
increasing emphasis placed on routine testing of progress throughout
a young person's schooling.
78. Young people will not tolerate any aspect
of learning for which they cannot see the relevance. Unless they
can make a direct link between learning and their goal, they will
disengage or resist. Young people are frequently solely outcome-driven.
They see their effort linked primarily to the gaining of a qualification.
They are not interested in context, in reading around the subject,
and will frequently ask whether a task is linked directly to the
specification of the examination.
79. These widely held attitudes are particularly
challenging to those practitioners teaching subjects with a high
theoretical content, and in which principles often have to precede
practice. Physics and Chemistry are prime examples of this. Students
have more difficulty in seeing the relevance of abstract concepts,
particularly as GCSE specifications do not include an introduction
to such an approach to learning. The perception of science subjects
is that they contain a high proportion of theory. Often the ability
to approach such theory is hampered by inadequate mathematical
skills. This is discussed later.
80. Students will often describe science
subjects as "hard". Students assess the relative difficulty
of obtaining a good pass mark in various subjects. They compare
the percentage of candidates in examinations that gain good passes.
The perception is widely held that it is more difficult to gain
good grades in science subjects than it is in the arts. The practitioners
we consulted agreed that in some instances they would agree with
this assessment. They tell us that students will calculate how
they can obtain the highest grades and will often decide to avoid
Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
81. Students also describe science as "boring".
As they enter post 16 education with this preconception, a link
has to be made to their experience of science teaching and learning
in secondary schooling. Practitioners in colleges who have also
worked in schools make a link between the lack of specialists
to teach science in all three disciplines in many schools and
surmise that some lacklustre presentation by non subject specialists
may be a contributory factor in failing to enthuse students.
82. Practitioners are also critical of specifications
at level three where they lack relevance to learners' existing
experience. Given the current attitude of learners who need to
recognise the immediate relevance of activity to their goals and
preoccupations, a link could be made with the falling numbers
opting for a pure science based programme of learning post 16.
83. In the summer 2001, Legacy A level GCE
results the number of students who sat Biology, Chemistry and
Physics fell in June 2001, compared with equivalent provisional
figures for 2000. At 52,647, 38,602 and 32,059 respectively this
represents a decline in entries of 2,167, 2,254, and 1,358. Expressed
as a percentage of the total who sat, there was also a decline
of 0.1 per cent over the previous year in each of the three subjects.
84. In the Legacy GNVQ Advanced in Science,
a total of 2,217 candidates sat in 2001, compared with 2,929 the
previous year.
85. A small number of candidates (143) achieved
the new Advanced VCE (Curriculum 2000).
86. (Source: Joint Council for General Qualifications—June
2001, published Wednesday 15 August 2001).
The AoC Recommendation therefore is:
87. That student perceptions relating to
Science qualifications at level three are tested:
— by reviewing the relative standard
at which Science papers are marked to ensure parity of standard
with other subjects;
— reviewing the specifications and
content of Science subjects to ensure that theory, concepts and
principles can be related to student experience;
— reviewing the balance between theory
and practical application, to ensure that there is sufficient
opportunity for practical application;
— reviewing the capital costs associated
with practical work;
— reviewing the specifications for
each subject to ensure the amount of theoretical content to be
covered does not erode the essential laboratory practicals, so
crucial to maintain student interest and motivation.
PROVISION OF
SCIENCE EDUCATION
IN COLLEGES,
ITS RANGE
AND STUDENT
PROFILE, COMPARED
WITH THE
SELECTIVE APPROACH
ADOPTED IN
SOME SCHOOL
SIXTH FORMS
88. FE colleges usually have the capacity
to accommodate learners of all levels of achievement. Whilst guidance
on the minimum standards needed for progression will be in place,
as in schools, colleges are usually able to offer a broader range
of learning programmes at different levels including science AS/A
levels and AVCEs and vocationally related courses with a science
content.
89. Given their scale, colleges usually
employ a full complement of subject specialists and can often
offer "minority" science subjects.
90. Colleges negotiate an individual programme
of learning at the age of 16 with each learner, following diagnostic
testing and assessment of each learner's needs and aspirations.
Colleges often work with learners who have failed to achieve in
schools, offering a range of courses at level two, as well as
being able to offer significant choice for learners who are ready
for level three study.
91. As colleges deliver a wide range of
courses including courses for adults and work-based learning,
FE has often developed close links with local industry, which
can directly benefit the science programmes they deliver. The
first Centre of Vocational Excellence in Applied Science has been
announced, a college delivering a large number of science courses
to a broad spectrum of learners. This college has developed programmes
in specialist occupational areas, to meet local needs, and uses
its good relations with employers, for example, to provide work
experience for its science students.
92. In AS/A level science-related subjects,
FE colleges often offer a wide range of subjects, which are not
available in schools. These include the very popular social sciences,
for example Psychology and Sociology, and earth sciences, which
may include specialised study, for example in geology, equipping
students for a far greater range of applied science degrees.
93. By comparison, all schools with sixth
forms offer science education, but some schools cater exclusively
for those students with higher levels of attainment, providing
for them a traditional range of AS and A Level subjects including
the three main science subjects and some vocationally related
courses at level three (Advanced) only.
94. Currently, choice of subjects or combinations
of subjects may be limited where sixth forms are small; the breadth
of choice, as envisaged in Curriculum 2000, may not always be
available. Some schools offer Key Skills qualifications to support
students' learning, but many have not yet made the decision to
offer Key Skills.
Opportunities for Collaboration through the 14-19
Curriculum
95. The Association sees great benefit to
students in the new approach to 14-19 education, particularly
for those in schools with limited science facilities and expertise
and offering a limited science curriculum.
96. AoC welcomes the recent invitation to
lead the formation of local collaborations between schools and
colleges, with a view to offering learners more choice and flexibility
in their learning programmes.
97. This new approach could envigorate science
teaching and learning, and provide new opportunities for 14-16
year old learners that will inspire them to consider a career
in a science-based area, by opening up access to facilities and
expertise in local colleges. If 14-16 year old learners can be
excited by a greater exposure to the practical application of
the sciences, it may help to dispel preconceptions and myths about
the sciences.
98. If specialist physicists, chemists and
biologists in colleges can be allocated to teach at GCSE level
with their associated schools, then the quality of existing level
two courses, the subject of some criticism from the expert practitioners
we talked to, could be significantly improved.
99. There is opportunity, then, for further
education colleges to make a significant contribution to the education
of young people from the age of 14. However the Association is
aware from its research that the potential pool of expert science
practitioners in colleges is diminishing, as pay and conditions
in colleges become eroded when compared with those offered in
industry and in schools. If colleges are to be in a position to
respond in full to the opportunities presented by the 14-19 curriculum
agenda, then there will need to be an urgent review of the funding
of colleges in real terms and their relative funding in relation
to schools and Higher Education.
100. The Association would be pleased to
assist the Committee further with the implementation of such an
approach, but advises that such developments would require significant
extra resources, over and above those already allocated to ensure
the opportunities are fully exploited and implemented.
101. The Association has identified the
following issues to be addressed and clarified:
— how colleges will be funded to deliver
science (and other subjects) to learners in schools;
— how additional costs, associated
with collaboration will be funded;
— how differences in the funding of
schools and colleges can be reconciled;
— how differences in pay and conditions
of school and college personnel might be addressed;
— how further education staff will
receive the support and training they will need to take on 14-16
work;
— how differences in requirements associated
with learners of lower ages will be managed;
— how the interface between LLSCs and
LEAs will work.
A REVIEW OF
THE NATURE
OF CURRENT
SCIENCE COURSES
AND AN
ASSESSMENT OF
HOW WELL
THEY MEET
THE NEEDS
OF LEARNERS,
HIGHER EDUCATION
AND SECTORS
OF INDUSTRY
102. A review of level two courses and their
appropriateness in preparing learners for Advanced level study.
GCSE Mathematics
103. Students embarking on a programme of
Science subjects at the age of 16, particularly Physics and Chemistry
AS/A Levels, need a sound grasp of particular mathematical principles,
to underpin their studies.
104. Maths and Science practitioners in
colleges have reservations about the appropriateness of the current
GCSE in Mathematics to fulfil this requirement.
105. The choice and flexibility available
to learners in the specifications at GCSE level means that by
careful selection, students can avoid units in which algebraic
principles are taught, and similarly can complete a GCSE without
being examined in the understanding of graphs. Both these disciplines
are vital for advanced level study. It is currently possible for
students to gain a C grade in GCSE Mathematics without these areas
of work having been covered.
106. Grade C in five GCSE subjects is the
minimum requirement for progression to advanced level study in
AS/A Levels and AVCE qualifications. The great majority of institutions
accept this as their benchmark.
107. This is allowing some learners to start
their chosen selection of science courses at a disadvantage.
108. Practitioners tell us that, as colleges
recruit from schools with different approaches to teaching Mathematics
for GCSE, valuable time is spent in the first term of advanced
level study in remedial work to ensure that all learners are at
the same level of competence. This can hold back those who are
ready to progress, and be demotivating for those without the skills.
Delivering the specifications in all subjects in the first year
of Curriculum 2000 has been challenging; this remedial work has
been an added demand, within a reduced number of teaching weeks.
GCSE Double Science, as a preparation for advanced
level study
109. Whilst there are merits in an integrated
approach to science teaching, science practitioners in colleges
have doubts as to whether on balance the current specifications
adequately prepare learners for progression. Learners embarking
on post compulsory education often have very little idea what
constitutes the separate disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and
Physics, and are unable to differentiate between activities contributing
to the award.
110. This hampers their ability to make
an informed choice about what disciplines they should select to
pursue at level three, and what this study will demand of them.
111. There is the danger that, as there
is little differentiation between the three disciplines at GCSE,
any part of the curriculum that a learner finds difficult or hard
to relate to may well put him or her off science in general. Teaching
by non-specialists may also play a part in failing to enthuse
learners with an interest in the subject in general, or in one
aspect of it.
112. Those practitioners who have taught
in schools as well as colleges point to a further characteristic
of science teaching in schools, that is also apparent in colleges.
This is that practical work is being squeezed out of the curriculum
as teachers struggle to fit in the knowledge content of the specifications
within time constraints imposed by an enlarging curriculum. Practical
lessons are demanding on time, space and resources, yet are vital
to reinforce the acquiring of knowledge and its application. Teaching
methods are discussed later.
113. In general, at the age of 16, learners
equip themselves with the knowledge they need to pass their GCSEs
and have participated in some practical work which increasingly,
we are advised, is to meet the requirements of assessment, rather
than enriching an empirical approach to learning, or developing
the skills of enquiry and analysis.
114. The Association wonders whether this
paucity of experimentation and practical experience in compulsory
schooling may deny learners the opportunity of discovering how
they learn best and by what methods they can reinforce their learning.
It may be far more important long-term for these skills to be
developed than the current emphasis at GSCE level on the regurgitation
of facts.
115. As a teacher in a large general FE
college says, "We need the ability to be able to encourage
genuine investigative practical work, which means that assessed
practical work should not be solely about data."
New science specifications at GCSE
116. New specifications for Key Stage Four,
accredited by QCA for first examination in June 2003 appear to
offer some flexibility and provide for qualifications in Single
and Double Science and in Biology, Chemistry and Physics (through
the addition of extra units). These are available with both linear
or modular assessment and will at Foundation and Higher levels.
117. These begin to approach the needs of
different learners through offering two approaches to learning,
and as such, will hopefully make them more generally accessible
to learners.
118. It may be necessary, however, as with
the GCSE Mathematics qualifications, to offer more guidance to
learners and teachers at Key Stage Four as to which qualification
options, and at which level, will prepare learners to take Science
subjects at level three.
New vocational GCSE in Science (double award)
119. A Teacher's guide (issued by Edexcel
in draft 20/12/01) clearly shows this new qualification as allowing
students to progress to Advanced level study, for example, AVCE;
to a BTEC national qualification, for example in a specialist
area such as Animal Management or Sport and Exercise Science;
to a Modern Apprenticeship, NVQ or other training, or to employment
in a scientific environment, such as a hospitable laboratory or
the food industry.
120. The Association welcomes the apparent
choice this specification appears to provide for learners.
121. However, as indicated earlier, it has
concerns as to how many learners will be able to achieve this
qualification and access such progression opportunities. Because
this qualification is set at the same level as GCSEs, the Association
is concerned that the needs of those unable to reach this standard
are still not being addressed. It sees a parallel with the introduction
of AVCEs at level three, which provide a wider choice of courses
for those with high enough qualifications, but offers nothing
for those with lower achievements.
122. Without the provision of an appropriate
range of programmes which provide a choice of learning styles
and the full range of levels, and which offers a real alternative
for those who need to improve their current level of achievement,
young people will not stay in learning.
123. The Association welcomes the recent
development which has seen the "shelf life" of GNVQ
courses in vocational areas extended by a further two years. AoC
has been very active in lobbying for such an extension, precisely
because these qualifications have addressed the issue described
above, by providing a "way in" to further learning for
learners with low achievement at level two. Without such alternative
provision at levels one and two, access to second-chance learning
would be denied.
124. The Director of a Science Centre of
Excellence in a grade one FE college says, "GNVQ Intermediate
in Science appears to be more successful than a simple re-run
of GCSE double award or separate science provision. The new vocational
GCSE in Applied Science as a one year option may offer possibilities
in the near future."
125. The Association notes the proposal
by one of the awarding bodies that has just announced that it
has revised and accredited a vocational course aimed at this group
(BTEC First diploma in vocational subjects). It is only through
vocationally orientated courses such as this, that students in
this cohort will be exposed to applied science.
AS/A Levels in Science subjects — a theoretical
approach to learning
126. For those students who have clear aspirations
to study science subjects at degree level, the current AS/A Level
specifications are regarded by practitioners as adequately meeting
the requirements of Higher Education for their pure science degrees.
127. Whether these requirements of HE that
learners need to approach their subject from a heavily theoretical
base is, however, a question of debate by some science practitioners.
128. There is real concern that the theoretical
approach demanded by AS and A Level specifications poses a challenge
for learners, particularly in the first year, AS programmes.
129. Before this level of study, young people
have not been exposed to an abstract approach to learning. Looking
at the wider social and cultural environment in which these young
people are growing up, the Association thinks it would be fair
to say that this cohort may be more familiar with consumerism
than conceptualisation, and, in terms of learning styles, with
the repetition of the known rather than deduction from the unknown.
130. Teachers have a very limited timeframe
in which to engage learners with this new approach. This is particularly
true of the first year of post compulsory education. The most
effective methods, they tell us, are through the practical application
and testing of theoretical theory in the laboratory, in the field
or in the workplace.
131. Teachers struggle, within specifications
where projects or topics are not built in, to find the time to
provide the contextual experience and experimentation so vital
to understanding and motivation. As one practitioner in a large
general FE college points out, "We need to be able to encourage
genuine investigative practical work, which means that assessed
practical work should not be solely about data."
132. In addition, they are addressing gaps
in Mathematical experience for many learners.
133. A further squeeze is applied by the
"summer" examination schedule, which is getting progressively
nearer Easter. This is discussed below.
The Nuffield and Salters approach to science
134. These specifications are commonly referred
to by practitioners as good examples of how science can be made
accessible through a topic or subject-based approach.
135. It is the impression of the Association
that more institutions might use them than at present, were the
extra resources made available—the equipment and time. The
Programme leader in a college in the North East that delivers
Salters Advanced Chemistry and Salters/Horners Advanced Physics
comments,
136. "Both of these courses have been
designed to emphasise the relevance of Science to the students'
lives. The teachers enjoy teaching these courses and the students
enjoy learning these courses, but they find them demanding (particularly
the examinations)".
New qualifications at AS level
137. The new AS Science qualification, Science
for Public Understanding, is generally welcomed by practitioners
as a qualification which makes a real contribution to broadening
the curriculum, for those students able to progress to level three
study.
138. Set within the Curriculum 2000 network,
colleges tell us they see the potential that learners on arts
programmes, on vocationally-related programmes as well as those
interested in pursuing a science-based programme, may wish to
continue a science qualification through this syllabus. Though
only a recent addition to the range of qualifications, and thus
still to be proven (particularly important here will be the response
of Higher Education to this qualification in relation to access
to degree level learning), it is seen to be relevant, topical
and applicable to a wide range of learners. It addresses the "science
for citizenship" role referred to in the terms of reference
of this enquiry.
139. As such, the Association welcomes its
addition to the Qualifications Framework, and would see it offers
a useful model on which to develop similar qualifications at the
lower levels.
140. In general terms, The Association would
conclude that thought needs to be given to the emphasis of science
specifications, so that they can inspire and include a broader
cohort of learners than those currently opting for science based
learning. A curriculum Manager in Science and the Environment
illustrates this by suggesting,
141. "Science syllabuses should be
divided into sections focussing on key modern applied sciences,
so as to interest, inspire and motivate pupils by showing the
relevance of science to modern life and the career opportunities
available.
142. "For example, a unit entitled
Vetinerary Science would include much biology; ones on Pharmacy
and Forensic Science much chemistry; Materials science and Electronics
much physics; and Geology a synthesis of a three sciences applied
to the study of the earth, and so on."
A REVIEW OF
HOW SCIENCE
IS TAUGHT
AND AOC
VIEWS ON
HOW THIS
MIGHT BE
IMPROVED, INCLUDING
THE RELATED
TEACHING OF
MATHEMATICS
143. Good practice in the teaching of science,
it is agreed by practitioners, should include a diverse range
of teaching and learning methods, including experimentation and
discovery, working in groups , the making of links between learning
activities, question and answer sessions to check learning has
taken place, the use of flow charts, spider diagrams and graphics
and access to IT learning.
144. Schools as well as colleges have developed
a variety of strategies to deliver differentiated learning, for
example in the use of role play as a means of learning scientific
principles.
145. Additional good practice relates to
the development of Specifications and teaching material that addresses
gender issues and challenges stereotyping, particularly in areas
of heavy gender bias, and further work needs to be undertaken,
to encourage more girls to take up sciences. In June 2001, for
example, 21,751 male students sat the Physics A Level examination
(legacy) but only 5,985 females. (source Joint Council for General
Qualifications Results 2001).
146. However, all the expert practitioners
the Association have consulted say that the challenges of the
wider curriculum and the squeeze in the funding of colleges in
general has meant that the time allocated to all subjects has
reduced over the years.
147. Colleagues report that as a consequence
there has been an increasing reliance on didactic teaching in
many cases, "Simply," as one practitioner puts it, "to
make sure we cover the knowledge content of the specifications".
The result, it is acknowledged, has often been to the detriment
of learning and a criticism of some science teaching in recent
Ofsted inspection reports.
148. The tensions are well described by
this Director of the Faculty of Science at a sixth form college
in the south of England:
149. "We have to rush to get through
the material in the specifications and it leaves us less time
than is desirable to reinforce the concepts through practice,
in lesson time. The students find it difficult doing the practice
on their own without the support of the teacher. This leaves some
of them frustrated and vulnerable, knowing they are not understanding
the material in adequate depth but not having the maturity and/or
ability to sort out the problems for themselves. The lack of time
also means we cannot enjoy the subject with the students by presenting
the students with extra activities which play to their interests
and consolidate their understanding; the teacher's role is almost
always one of presenting concepts and moving on."
150. Staff themselves are frustrated that
practical work in particular tends to suffer as teaching time
is shortened. Most institutions seem, for example, to allocate
4.5 hours per week to AS and A2 classes, adopting a uniform approach
to all subjects. Any teaching approach which provides opportunities
for differentiated activities, for involving the interaction of
groups of student, and any activity demanding the supervision
of chemicals and apparatus, is far more time consuming than a
text book approach to teaching and learning.
151. Whilst acknowledging that mediocre
science teaching will not solely be addressed through the allocation
of more resources, nevertheless the Association is persuaded that
there is a link between the under-funding of colleges and their
ability to deliver the rich and varied teaching and learning experience
they would wish learners to be exposed to.
152. The Association would recommend therefore
that the Committee considers how the erosion in real terms of
funding to colleges over the last five years has contributed to
an under resourcing of science education in Further Education.
The influence of league tables on teaching in
schools
153. Whilst league tables in schools and
colleges have the intention of raising standards, the expert practitioners
we consulted were of the opinion that in some cases, the imperative
of achieving good passes in examinations were at the expense of
skills which need to be developed to ensure success in science
subjects at a higher level.
154. This evidence, from the Head of Sciences
in a sixth form college, summarises the conundrum—"The
way that schools teach GCSE has a lot to do with targets and league
tables. I can usually tell the students who come from a particular
school because the science department there has maintained a sound
educational philosophy in its style of teaching and the students
come through with appropriate skills. Other students have been
spoon-fed a diet of dictation. They absorb the information and
get excellent results; however they find our approach of trying
to get them to think and be imaginative very difficult to accept."
A REVIEW OF
THE ASSESSMENT
OF SCIENCE—SKILLS,
KNOWLEDGE AND
APPLICATION
Timing of external examinations in the "summer"
and for the submission of coursework
155. College practitioners in science have
been unanimous in identifying the most problematic issue in the
delivery of science education is the timing of the external examinations.
156. Although these examinations are supposed
to be summative, with the end of the teaching year normally occurring
in the first of second week in July, in reality young people will
be sitting examinations in May and June. For example, the provisional
summer timetable this year for Physics AS is Friday 31 May pm;
Physics A2 is Thursday 13 June pm; and Physics A2 Friday 21 June
pm. (source: SaltersHornes Advanced Physics newsletter No1 Spring
Term 2002).
157. Coursework submission for PSA 3 and
PSA5 is Wednesday, May 15.
158. The timing of examinations so early
in the academic year means effectively that the specifications
have to be delivered in two terms, rather than three. Further
teaching time is lost in January, as students taking modular examinations
take advantage of this slot. Although a whole group may not be
affected, colleges tell us that the whole of this teaching period
is disrupted as different sets of students take different time
off to sit and revise for their respective modular exams.
159. Whilst the Association fully appreciates
the time it takes for awarding bodies to administer, mark and
issue results, it would suggest that the education system has
now reached the stage where assessment drives the curriculum rather
than serving it. Perhaps the time has now passed for a reliance
on teachers to act as part time markers and reliance, on the part
of the awarding bodies, on schools and colleges to release these
teachers for these duties. A vicious circle has effectively built
up as curriculum and administrative pressure on staff has increased,
with institutions ever more reluctant to lose their experienced
staff to this duty.
160. Thought needs to be given to how the
needs of the learner to proper preparation for their examinations
can be given priority over the administrative requirements of
the awarding bodies.
161. The Association recommends therefore
that urgent consideration be given to the timetabling of examinations
in the academic year, to minimise disruption and provide the maximum
teaching, learning and revision time to the learner.
QCA Curriculum 2000 Review
162. The Association is pleased that QCA
has responded to the concerns of colleges, expressed through the
consultation, by seeking to address some examination issues.
163. There has been a mixed response to
the proposal to reduce examination length and to schedule examinations
on the same day. Whilst colleagues welcome the reduction of clashes
and this strategy which, it is hoped will at least contain the
examination window, practitioners are concerned that any changes
give students the best opportunity to show what they can do.
164. Put in general terms, the Association
would suggest that any changes to, and development of, the external
assessment of science needs to consider how it will impact on
the individual learner as well as on other interested parties.
Coursework and practical assessment of learners
165. The Association supports the need for
a variety of assessment methods, developed and applied as appropriate
to the needs of the subject and the learning styles of the individual.
In particular, it values the assessment of learners in ways other
than a written examination as being essential where knowledge
needs to be applied, and skills demonstrated.
166. This is born out by a contribution
from the Head of Science at the first Centre of Vocational Excellence—"Assessment
methods used are often the key factor when students choose a science
course—very often those with a poor experience of school
(not necessarily under-achievers) will choose courses with continuous
assessment, eg BTEC National Diplomas."
167. He adds, "Students accept and
value the need for rigour, whatever the assessment method."
168. The Association has noted a tendency
for this Government to equate rigour with external examinations,
and to move away from what colleges often describe as the more
"user friendly" approach of continuous assessment.
169. The Association would not deny that
there are significant challenges associated with this form of
assessment, relating to the ability of teachers to mark to a standard,
for moderation to be properly undertaken and for external verification
to act as a check that assessors comply.
170. Whatever challenges these raise, they
should be addressed through a tightened quality assurance process,
and not by a rejection of the assessment method itself.
171. If it is the case that assessment styles
are a factor when learners choose a science course, then the Association
would recommend that continuous assessment should be examined
by the Committee as a means of attracting more young people to
take science-based courses.
172. Whilst fully supporting this approach,
the management of such an assessment method would need to be considered,
so as not to place to great a burden on either the learner or
the assessor.
173. Indeed, the Association believes the
time is right to take an overview of examination purpose and procedure—has
the whole process become overwhelming? Have the benefits been
lost if learners turn away from some forms of assessment? Are
examinations a contributory factor in turning learners away from
science—indeed, in turning them off learning altogether?
As one practitioner rather graphically described it, "Have
students become burnt out by the age of 16 by a system that assesses
them to a greater extent than ever before?"
THE POTENTIAL
OF THE
NEW APPROACH
TO 14-19 EDUCATION
IN SCHOOLS,
COLLEGES AND
THE WORKPLACE
174. Many colleges have already extremely
close working relationships with schools in their region, which
have been established over many years, particularly where the
strengths and expertise of the local college is not perceived
as a threat to a school sixth form, but rather as a resource.
Other principals, following the invitation from government to
lead local collaborative partnerships are forging new links.
175. In the area of science, colleges are
often a rich potential resource to schools and the Association
is keen to ensure that this expertise and equipment is made available
to the benefit of all learners in schools.
176. Where schools sixth forms have only
offered places to those of their learners who have achieved higher
grades at GCSE there is already a perception that the purpose
of the local Further Education college is to accommodate "the
rest". In this case, "the rest" will refer to those
who have not performed well in examinations, who have challenging
emotional or behavioural problem or who have been excluded.
177. In leading new consortia in response
to the 14-19 agenda, the Association is keen that such a perception
is dispelled and that schools will look to how they can best challenge
all their learners, particularly the most able, by harnessing
the expertise of the local college.
178. Science is an area in which this is
particularly pertinent. Able students will be able to fast track
through GCSEs to access an exciting variety of science subjects,
encompassing a whole range of "minority" earth and social
science subjects at level three. They will be able to complement
"pure" with "applied" science study, thus
being far better informed about the direction they wish their
HE education to take.
179. A far greater proportion of the school
population, through a greater engagement with applied science,
will hopefully find inspiration to stay in education and follow
this route through, potentially to a Higher Education place. Collaboration
with college will allow young people closer contact with employers,
perhaps through the Modern Apprenticeship and Foundation Degree
approach. In the area of applied sciences, colleges have the potential
to make a real difference to the way young people view their futures.
Many may aspire to Higher Education for the first time, becoming
the first generation to stay on in education beyond the age of
16.
180. This is not only about achieving challenging
government targets, but from the Association of Colleges' point
of view, about making sure that every young person has access
to a wide range of learning opportunities, and an educational
structure and Qualifications framework which is flexible enough
to respond to their individual, changing needs.
January 2002
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