Rick is a former Head of Science & Physics
The new GCSEs are basically political rubbish. I quit my post as a Head of Science & Physics in disgust, and I’m now emigrating. Who on earth is going to fill in a 30 minute questionnaire when QCA and the Government have clearly ignored all advice in the past? The Royal Society, The House of Lords select committee, the CBI are, to them, not worth listening to, so why would they listen to me? And of course, QCA know that. If you want to encourage discussion of current scientific issues, then you have to have sufficient knowledge for an intelligent discussion, which the current GCSEs do not provide. Any knowledgeable teacher used to include discussions anyway.
The fundamental problem is that there aren’t enough knowledgeable teachers (in physics anyway). What’s more, this Noddy approach to science is driving away the remainder. How many are left? The Institute of Physics has just shut down its Education Group. The Government refuses to measure the numbers, and for a numbers-obsessed Government you know what that means.
Your nuclear power stations will be built by French and Canadian physicists and engineers. Your bridges by Chinese graduates. I know. I’m going to be teaching them. In China then Canada. Bye!nuclear power