Memorandum submitted by Jeremy Airey, Professional Development Leader

National Science Learning Centre

 

 

It has been drawn to my attention that the Education and Skills Select Committee is considering the long-term future of Creative Partnerships.

 

As a Professional Development Leader at the National Science Learning Centre, I would like to inform you of my views regarding the importance of Creative Partnerships.

 

The national network of Science Learning Centres has a remit from the DCSF and the Wellcome Trust to provide high-quality, inspirational continuing professional development for those who teach science to young people in the UK, in order to improve youngsters' attitudes to science and thus their retention rates and attainment. I am responsible for the National SLCs curriculum for life sciences at secondary level, and I contribute more broadly to our wider curriculum.

 

Our experience and evidence suggest that teachers are very keen to engage young people's creativity when learning science, complementing this with developing their own creative repertoire of pedagogical practice. Teachers feel that creative experiences can really help to engage young people with science learning, and thus improve attitudes and achievement in science. Unfortunately, their perception is that creativity is not given a high profile by those in charge of the science curriculum. Therefore it is particularly important, I feel, that teachers' views of the value of creativity in learning should be reflected and supported by parliament. The National Curriculum emphasises that scientists engage in creative thinking, and we want learners to experience this themselves.

 

Creative Partnerships has made many valuable contributions to helping young people engage with creative learning in science, sometimes with groups of learners who can otherwise be difficult to reach and to motivate. I hope to see this continue, developing even more strongly in terms of working in the sciences in particular. I have had the pleasure of working with Creative Partnerships in a Wellcome Trust creativity and science education event which took place here in spring 2006, and by participating in CP's creativity expo in Manchester during the current academic year. CP colleagues have been very willing to support us with a flagship Creativity in Science Education course here, although it has not yet taken place. I do hope that we will be able to realise this course, with CP's support, in the future.

 

 

July 2007