The Science Technician Workforce in English Secondary Schools

This report finds that the number of science technicians and the amount of support they provide for secondary school science departments has fallen steadily since 2011/12.

This Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) by the National Foundation for Educational Research on how science technician provision in secondary schools in England has changed since 2011/12 reveals that there has been no significant improvement in the pay and employment conditions of school science technicians over the past decade.

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      string(347) "... applied science GCSE. Herethe grades are much poorer and the ‘vocational’ awardsare likely to be a bit of a dead end, providing neither aplatform for science A-levels, nor preparation for a careeras a science technician (from which the idea of an appliedaward derives). It looks as though schools in ..."
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      string(5649) "entage points than they carry and it would serve toidentify the punctilious. There is an examination aboveA-levels, the Advanced E xtension Award, but this is takenby very few. Overall, AEA entries in 2005 amounted to only1 per cent of A-levels; the highest percentage entry forany subject was Spanish at 3 per cent and here thenumber of A-level candidates is itself small.So do these various difficulties mean the end for A-levels?An important reason for retaining them is that they conferfreedom on students to tailor their own courses. Figure 3shows the trends in student choices. Since 1992 entries havedropped in many of the traditional subjects: French, German,physics, maths, and geo graphy, economics, and homeeconomics. The biggest winners over that period have beenreligious studies, music, business studies and technology, butthey have been surpassed by new examinations in media/TV/film, psychology, sport/PE, law and expressive arts.VariationThe percentage of A grades in 2005 varied considerablybetween subjects, with the highest proportions in thecontracting subjects suggesting that weaker studentswere selecting themselves out to take the newer offerings.Girls who overtook boys in the proportion of A gradesawarded for the first time in 2000 have now opened up aconsistent advantage of at least two percentage points.As with A-levels, GCSE results have been improvingeach year. Figure 4 shows that while 45.6 per cent of thepasses were at C and above in 1989, by 2005 this hadrisen to 61.2 per cent . Higher proportions are alsoachieving the t op grades. Twice as many A*s are beingawarded now as when the grade was introduced in 1994.The 2005 results have leapt above the trend line, and theGovernment might wish to claim that this was mainlydue to the literacy, numeracy and Key Stage 3 strategies.But English and maths themselves recorded only smallrises. A gain, the major pass rat e increases wer e inFig 4. GCSE pass rate per entryFig 5. Five good GCSEs or equivalentFig 6. Countriessubjects like French, German and dual award science,where entr ies have fallen, suggesting that the weakerstudents were transferring out or being switched out.Unlike A-levels, GCSEs are part of compulsory educationand there is less room for individual preferences, but thereis some manoeuvrability. This year saw large falls inmodern languages, which are no longer a full courserequirement at Key Stage 4, suggesting that schools arecoping with the chronic shortage of language teachersby in some cases disapplying the subject for somestudents.25Exam resultsSeptember/October 2005 Managing Schools TodayThe proportion of pupils reaching five A*- C grades atGCSE or what is deemed equivalent is very important toschools, in some cases being vital to their very survival. Chart5 shows that the proportion attaining at this level has morethan doubled since GCSEs replaced ‘O’ levels. Interestingly,from 2001 the proportion achieving five goo d GCSEsthemselves has plateaued at about 50 per cent and theincrease has been through intermediate GNVQs, whichcount as four GCSEs. Even so the increase is less than the 2per cent a year the DfES agreed with Gordon Brown’sTreasury under a public service agreement, suggesting thatthe Go vernment might be disappoint ed with animprovement rate that makes others sceptical.A pattern that screams out from the GCSE results, butwhich receives almost no attention in England, is theextent of the differences between the countries of the UK.Figure 6 shows that children in Northern Ireland dooutstandingly well, scoring 10 percentage points aboveEngland and Wales in passes GCSE A*-C and substantiallysuperior at A-level. Only two likely explanations suggestthemselves. The first is that the grammar school systemgets the best out of more pupils, not just those going tothe grammars (which is not a finding that many people ineducation want to hear). The other is that the exam boardin Northern Ireland works to different standards, but thatis checkable and one would have expected it to have beenFig 7. Intermediate GNVQFig 8. Entries for Intermediate Vocational Courses 2005In the sciences there seems to be an increasing ‘bright ’/’dim’ split. Physics, chemistry and biology, in recent yearsmainly the province of the independent and grammarschools, have been making something of a comeback forthe very able judging by the very high propor tions of A*and A grades – which is good news for A-levels. But thedouble award science is also losing students to the singleaward, intermediate GNVQ and applied science GCSE. Herethe grades are much poorer and the ‘vocational’ awardsare likely to be a bit of a dead end, providing neither aplatform for science A-levels, nor preparation for a careeras a science technician (from which the idea of an appliedaward derives). It looks as though schools in the targetand league table culture engendered by the Blairgovernments are increasingly juggling with pupils’ entriesto maximise the school ’s standing – which is notnecessarily the same as the pupils’ best interests.Fig 9. Advanced Vocational QualificationsA-levels are no longer meeting one of theiressential functions: distinguishing people foruniversities and employers26Exam resultsManaging Schools Today September/October 2005ironed out. An interesting natural experiment may beupon us if, as seems lik ely, Northern Ireland politicians gettheir way and scrap the grammar and modern schools.This year saw a boom in vocational qualifications at theintermediate level with, as figure 7 shows, entries for theintermediate GNVQ at"
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Leadership

Do better results mean worse exams

1 Nov 2006

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      string(2870) "and debate ineducation. This combination of grounded practice, challenging critiqueand research insights make Professional Development Today theideal journal to support CPD. Professional Development Today containscontributions from leading writers, as well as regular accounts fromclassroom practitioners. Each issue is divided into Practice and policy,Practitioner pieces, Research, and Reference sections.Professional Development Today has a wide readership in schools,local authorities and higher education. Within its pages you will findeverything you need to know about professional learning, ranging fromcoaching techniques to Network Learning Communities; from the latestresearch in training the leaders of tomorrow to development for schoolbursars; and from the development challenge of Every Child Matters topreparation for self-evaluation.Coming up!Over the next year we have an exciting range of themes and topicsincluding:■ Coaching and mentoring ■ Developing the workforce■ Professional learning for children’s services■ Sustainability – for professional learning and changeProfessional Development TodayRef PDTPDT13.1status of support staff and highlight their potential tomake a positive difference in the classroom. Some learningmentors are now running training in understanding angerin the weekly after school INSET sessions (Mondays 3.30-4.30) for other staff, including teachers.A science technicians’ group leader found the project usefulin many ways. This includes raising career aspirations:‘We were a very insular team so it helped integrate us with others inthe school. The Biology technician has gained much more confidence andis now going to do a PGCE; another wants to become a cover supervisor.One technician is doing science demonstrations, and the students look to heras a teacher. The students treat support staff with more respect’.There is now an established programme of CPD whichoffers options and choice: every Monday all staff have to doopt for a workshop for their development. This means thatthe needs of all groups, including all the support staff groups,can be better addressed. Following more classroom basedsupport staff sessions it was agreed that there needed to beinduction programmes and packs in place for the variousteams. These packs have included some of the confidenceraising training from phase one to sustain development. Afew support staff have been running twilight training forothers and have offered sessions for future inclusion.Sara BubbInstitute of EducationReferences: Bubb, S (2009) ‘Measuring impact: Professional development for early career teachers and support staff’ in Earley, P., & Porritt,V (eds) Effective Practices in Continuing Professional Development: Lessons from Schools, London: Institute of Education and TDA, BedfordWay series."
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Professional Development

How to... make a difference for support staff

22 Jul 2010

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      string(5644) "sources such as wind power or nuclear power, computingsystems or software, transport, food, music, clothing and much more.How much money can I earn?Each industry sector is different, as is each engineering job within that industry.Nevertheless across the board, on average, professional engineers can expect toearn between £25,000 and £40,000 per year more than the national average salary.Where do engineers work?Engineers can work literally anywhere – offices, hospitals, studios, laboratories,power plants, at sea, film sets, construction sites, in space and underground. Theyare often employed by companies you may not immediately think of as needingengineers such as food manufacturers or healthcare companies.What is a Chartered Engineer?Chartered Engineers have gained the necessary qualifications and experience tobecome professionally registered and are able to use the letters CEng after theirname. Other recognised professional statuses are Incorporated Engineer (IEng)and Engineering or ICT Technician (EngTech and ICTTech). More information and asearch for accredited courses can be found at www.engc.org.uk.What qualifications do I need?For apprenticeships or college courses, students need good GCSEs (or equivalent)in maths and sciences. Other useful subjects include computing and design andtechnology.For university and higher apprenticeships, candidates need maths and physics A-level(or equivalent) or BTEC Level 3 in an engineering-related subject (or equivalentvocational qualifications). For chemical or biomedical engineering, chemistry isimportant. Grades and qualification requirements vary and details are available onthe UCAS website.Are scholarships or grants available?A wide range of organisations offer grants and scholarships to support buddingengineers. 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Everything is aimed at showing young people across the wider agerange of seven to 19 just how many exciting and rewarding career opportunitiesthere are out there for them with the right experience and qualifications.The free flagship event is The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and EngineersFair, which takes place in March each year and was recently named theEducational Event of the Year. In 2014, over 75,000 people made the trip toBirmingham’s NEC to see the world of science, technology, engineering andmaths brought to life in some unexpected ways. The 2015 event had over200 exhibitors, daily workshops and two headline shows. One came from topfood science presenter Stefan Gates, whose live Supertasters show blendedmultisensory perception with multidisciplinary scientific ‘mayhem’. The other,#Error404, was billed as ‘a renegade mix of audience interaction, live codingand explosions, brought to you by CBBC’s Fran Scott and her team of evilgeniuses’. You get the idea.When it comes to The Big Bang Fair, the message to young people is verymuch ‘come and see where studying STEM can lead you and prepare to beamazed, surprised, inspired and possibly disgusted’. The disgusting part is lessof a guarantee than the rest of it, but given the festive production of ‘minceflies’, which were made with mealworm, beetle larvae and locusts mixed withtraditional dried fruit and spices, to explore new sustainable-themed festivetreats, there’s a real risk.The ‘mince flies’ were a bit of a gimmick, but the messages about the needto consider more sustainable food sources are far from it. While you may not goas far as following the recipe and baking the pies, the Future Food Adventureslesson plan created by Stefan Gates will, among other things, help your studentsunderstand the environmental impact of our food choices in terms of waterusage, world food supply and greenhouse gas production. All you need aresome balloons, black bags, a few bugs and some marshmallows!At its heart, The Big Bang is about careers and futures and highlightingthe exciting possibilities that exist for young people in science, technology,engineering and maths-based careers. It’s about the contribution they, with theright motivation, can make to the UK economy and to society in general. Meetinginspiring young engineers and scientists from some of the biggest companiesin the UK and receiving dedicated careers advice means young people leave theevent with a fresh, new perspective on where their school subjects can leadhttp://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/View/?con_id=4255http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/View/?con_id=4238http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/minceflies/http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/minceflies/41Volume5.3nCreativeTeaching&LearningCreativeApproachesthem and a more positive view of careers in science, technology, engineeringand maths.Teachers’ too, find the experience a positive one – not just in terms ofwhat their students learn and experiment with, but also with regards to theinformation and resources they gather during the day. The dedicated"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Inspiring the next generation of engineers

27 Mar 2015

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Folder: Leadership Briefings Issue 2.05 (17)"
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However, students taking GCSE in science and mathematics have increased whilst those taking design, technology, IT and ICT have fallen so that overall the STM numbers have shown virtually no increase;· The numbers of postgraduates have also increased and the DTI/OSI has been successful at meeting the main proposals in the reports including through increasing stipends and investing in research and career guidance; while the high percentage (39%) of STEM postgraduates from overseas helps sustain STEM departments, this could leave UK businesses vulnerable if such students returned home;· The knowledge-intensive services and creative industries as well as manufacturing sectors rely on STEM graduates and postgraduates;· Finding qualified teachers to teach STEM subjects is vital; students need above all to be inspired by those who know their subject and can bring it to life; too many science classes are still taken by teachers working outside their own subject specialism; there have been increases in the number of graduates in STEM subjects who go on to teacher training (overall by 31%, and by 74% in physics) and the “golden hellos” of up to £10,000 together with national drives on this issue are having an effect; the momentum needs to be sustained as the overall task to increase numbers from a small base is huge; gender and ethnic imbalances including at regional level also need to be addressed;· There has been an increase in teaching assistants and in students and recent graduates undertaking paid work experience in the classroom and this has added to overall teaching resources; it has also bolstered the perceived attractiveness of the profession and developed a pipeline of younger STEM subject teachers;· There has been less progress in arranging for existing teachers to develop their CPD, and schools Governors and headteachers need to take greater responsibility for this area;· There has been inadequate progress in investing in school laboratories and the Government needs to take this issue more seriously if students are to be enabled to work on equipment relevant for a future in work at technician level or progression to higher education;· A range of other Government-funded initiatives such as SETNET and TDA’s Student Associates Scheme have also had an impact in raising awareness; the example of Computer Clubs for Girls might be emulated as the growth in female participation in higher education allied to their choice of the bio-sciences rather than other STEM subjects means that participation levels in STEM overall will always struggle without increased female participation; there needs to be a focus on 10-14 year olds;· The requirement on school children in England to focus their studies after the age of 16 and exclude themselves from a broadly based curriculum can excessively narrow choice; maths underpins STEM subjects and more needs to be done to maintain this subject at 10-14 years of age;· Employer involvement in the development and delivery of the STEM curriculum is increasing in schools, colleges and universities; but more coherent messages about the career benefits which the study of STEM subjects can offer need to be conveyed (including from the professional bodies) and more placements and work experience opportunities need to be offered;· The curriculum needs to be made more exciting, real and relevant, and employers have an important role to play in this;· Career guidance remains patchy across schools and universities; employers and professional bodies could do more to support such services; good information for secondary students about the attractiveness of STEM careers is in short supply; we need support for initiatives such as the Science Council’s Careers from Science website;· Maintaining and investing in university STEM Departments is high cost; some universities will not be able to afford the investment; some further closures and concentration is therefore inevitable and Ministers should recognise this – especially if the additional Government funds are not forthcoming to support the investment;· The STEM"
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Leadership

A Review of the STEM Skills Supply Chain

18 Apr 2007