Royal Society of Chemistry responds to Vision science education report

The Royal Society has published a report that outlines their ambition for science and mathematics education for the next 20 years.

Among their recommendations they echo the Royal Society of Chemistry's call for increased subject-specialist teaching in both primary and secondary schools, as outlined in our education report published earlier this month.

Dr Robert Parker, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: "Our children deserve the best science education we can provide to secure their economic futures and furnish them with the skills, knowledge and vision to meet global challenges head-on.

"So we welcome the Royal Society's vision for science education to improve young people's scientific knowledge and to link learning and skills to the current and future needs of the national and global economy.

"We wholeheartedly support the case for a focus on inspirational science teaching by subject-specialists - something we have called for in our own recent education report.

"There remain serious disparities in the provision of specialist science teaching across the UK. If we are to avert a skills and knowledge shortage in the UK's crucial science sectors our young people must be exposed to science teaching that is inspiring, engaging and expert starting from primary school education and continuing to post-14 schooling and beyond.

"I am delighted to see our calls for a science specialist in every primary school and increased subject-specific professional development for science and chemistry teachers echoed in the Royal Society's recommendations."