APPENDIX 32
Submission submitted by the Royal Academy
of Engineering
The Academy believes that it is of prime importance
to ensure that the schools continue to provide sufficient students
in both quality and quantity required to meet the national need
for engineers, scientists, mathematicians and technologists in
order for the UK to sustain a world-class, global competitive
economy.
This requires integrated policies and processes
from primary school to university. Currently The Academy is particularly
concerned that there continues to be widespread evidence that
the schools are failing to attract sufficient students to take
mathematics and science subjects (particularly physics) to A level
to ensure an adequate supply of high quality engineering and science
graduates. Many of the problems inherited by the universities
in the poor competence of students in mathematics and physics
have their origins in the inadequate level of mathematics and
physics teaching in many schools. The difficulty of attracting
good teachers in mathematics and the sciences, with its effect
on poor performance and lack of interest in these subjects from
students, remains at the heart of the problem and should be the
prime focus of attention. Unless this matter is addressed urgently
all supporting measures are likely to have little effect. Thus
the need for an adequate supply of well qualified highly motivated
and inspirational teachers in mathematics, science, Information
and Communications Technology (ICT) and Design and Technology
(D&T) is the key feature of the problem.
The Science Curriculum has been subject to considerable
revision and change over recent years so far as content is concerned.
The Academy would not favour any radical change at present especially
given the staff provision and training problems related above.
Much criticism is made that the current curriculum is too rigid
and highly compartmentalised and The Academy subscribes to this
view and would welcome a more flexible, broadening approach, allowing
for continuity and progression as appropriate for all. The Academy
would like to draw attention to examples of good practice which
have gone someway to identifying and remedying current shortcomings
such as the Gatsby Charitable Foundation's Mathematics, Science
and Technology Education Projects which in turn rely on the curriculum
development work of the Examining Boards in conjunction with the
Professional Institutions and organisations such as Design and
Technology Association (DATA), the Engineering and Science Councils
and the Association for Science Education (ASE). The key to success
is to ensure that science, mathematics, D&T and ICT are taught
in a coordinated and coherent manner which allows for the mutual
reinforcement of material and technique. This will only be executed
with success if adequate resources are devoted to ensuring all
the staff involved gain sufficient knowledge and expertise through
INSET and/or further qualification.
The mathematical content of the science curriculum
should exploit to the full the mathematics curriculum and be presented
in a comprehensive (identical) manner to ensure maximum reinforcement
and enhance students' understanding through demonstrating the
wide application and utility of mathematics. This has been demonstrated
to good effect in physics by the Institute of Physics and the
Salters-Horners new A level courses. Full advantage should be
made of Information Technology (IT) and this is indeed occurring
across the curriculum both as a tool to instruction and as a medium
for disseminating as widely as possible the latest educational
software. The advances made in this area, particularly in the
D&T syllabus and with ICT, should be rapidly extended to further
computer based learning across the curriculum. Priority should
be given to the broader provision of IT and laptop computers are
proving most effective in this respect.
It is hoped that the establishment of specialist
schools in science and engineering will create centres of excellence
which will then be able to disseminate this throughout other schools
in their region. The Academy would like to see greater provision
for the more able students to take single science GCSE and for
Further Mathematics to be available at A level. This will no doubt
be addressed in the provisions for high ability ("fast track")
students identified in the Education White Paper. The development
of high quality distance learning and teacher support materials
by the Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI) should also
be noted as an effective and productive means of alleviating teacher
shortage and of providing efficient on-job training to teachers.
The Academy has no direct experience of assessment
in schools. Through the Engineering Education Scheme and Headstart
we are aware of the onerous burden placed on teachers in this
respect and welcome the latest initiatives by the QCA and OFSTED
to lessen this not least that it will allow more opportunity for
extra curricular projects and activities which develop teamworking,
communication and other key skills. Great reliance is still placed
on A level grades for entrance to higher education and any systemic
change which affects these should be made with extreme caution.
There has been too much turbulence in the recent past and it is
believed that a period of stability would be most welcome. It
should, however, be noted that the work of the Curriculum Evaluation
and Management (CEM) Centre at Durham University has highlighted
that the science subjects are among the most severely graded AS
and A levels and, as a consequence of the league tables, schools
tend to direct students away from them. Clearly there is a need
to establish a parity among all subjects in the curriculum without
endangering standards through "grade drift".
The FE Colleges have great opportunities to
develop vocationally oriented courses within the GNVQ and NVQ
framework which fully integrates mathematics, science, ICT and
D&T through problem solving oriented study. This is an exciting
area of educational development capable of meeting the skills
needs of industry, and in engineering it is hoped that these will
be exploited to the full in developing the technicians and support
engineers up to Foundation Degree level.
In summary, The Academy recommends that:
(i) the Education White paper is implemented
in such a way as to facilitate the broadening of science teaching
at all levels and to exploit the opportunities available for reinforcement
and integration through systematic teaching across the science,
mathematics, D&T and ICT curriculum;
(ii) urgent action is taken to ensure that
there are sufficient suitably qualified staff in all schools to
act as lead teachers in ensuring that all mathematics, science
, and technology lessons are taught appropriately and can provide
the necessary curriculum guidance to ensure that the syllabus
is delivered across the board in an imaginative, coordinated manner.
Such staff should also act as mentors, advisers and possibly tutors
to non specialist staff where these have to teach maths and science
topics;
(iii) teachers should be provided with high
quality materials (books, equipment, CDs and back up support)
to ensure best practice is demonstrated;
(iv) the use of IT should be exploited to
the full in delivering high quality material and in effective
instruction and staff development;
(v) appropriate INSET should be provided
to train and assist teachers in achieving these tasks.
January 2002
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