SBS PR 03/07
PRESS RELEASE: Immediate 2 May 2003

Mismatch between school science and universities’ expectations

Save British Science and the UK Deans of Science today published evidence of a mismatch between what young people are learning in school and what universities expect them to have learned.

“SBS surveyed the Deans of Science, and found that most believe that their students arrive at university without the necessary mathematical preparation and without the appropriate practical skills,” said Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of SBS. “A substantial minority think their students do not even have the requisite basic knowledge of the subject they have chosen to study.”

Professor Ian Haines, Chair of the Deans of Science, said: “The results of this survey show very clearly the need for a greatly improved dialogue between the various sectors of education. This must involve large numbers of those in pre-19 education and in the universities.

“There is much too little dialogue at present and I believe that very few university staff have any real idea of what performance has been required to obtain, say, a B in mathematics at GCSE or the various grades in advanced level or GNVQ in the sciences.”

“We’re not trying to blame anyone for this problem,” said Peter Cotgreave, “but with a rapidly expanding university system, and constant changes to the school curriculum, I’m hardly surprised that schools and universities seem to be misunderstanding one another”.

“Everyone keeps saying that science education is a priority, but when we spoke to a group of science teachers recently, they listed a catalogue of difficulties. It really is important that we begin to understand the underlying causes of these problems, and tackle them seriously.”

ENDS

The results of the new survey can be read at
www.savebritishscience.org.uk/texts/documents/2003/SBS0313.htm

Some of the concerns of science teachers can be read at www.savebritishscience.org.uk/texts/press/pr0303.html