The RSC welcomes schools Select Committee report

The Royal Society of Chemistry today welcomes a report by the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, which is issuing a call to put greater trust in schools and to empower teachers.   

The 46,000-member society, which represents thousands of chemistry teachers, also agrees strongly with the committee's idea of removing the prescription on the school curriculum that emanates from over-control by the Department of Children, Schools and Families, especially on 'how to teach' in a number of subject areas. 

Dr Philip Evans, who chairs the RSC education policy board, said: "We see much to welcome in the select committee's report which comments strongly on the over-prescriptive national curriculum. We also point to government interference by telling teachers how to teach.  

"The morale of the profession would be greatly helped if the DCSF were to heed the select committee's call for greater freedom to be given to what is taught and for the professionalism of teachers to be better recognised." 

The recommendations of the report echo the demands of the RSC for greater numbers of appropriately qualified science teachers working in properly equipped modern school science laboratories - both of which are essential if pupils are to experience proper experimentation during practical sessions and to ignite a life long interest in science. 

Downloadable files

Children, Schools and Families Committee report
House of commons report on National Curriculum, together with formal minutes, April 2009