Topical question asked in the House of Commons, by Nick Gibb (Conservative). It was answered on Monday, 17 December 2007 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Topical Questions

Question: This is a question for the Secretary of State. From September next year, every 14-year-old will have the right to study the society, health and development diploma if they wish to do so, and from 2009, they will have the right to study the hair and beauty diploma. Apart from those achieving level 6 in science, however, no student will have the right to study the three separate sciences—physics, chemistry and biology—at GCSE. Does not this confirm the comment by the Nobel laureate Sir Martin Evans that the Government lack an understanding of science and underestimate its importance to society?

Answer: We entirely reject that. We have a cross-Government strategy in respect of improving science learning in this country. It was published by the Treasury following last year's Budget. As a result of that strategy, we are now increasing the number of specialist science teachers coming into the profession, and we are seeing improvements in the numbers taking science A-levels. At level 3 in schools we have seen, for the first time in many years, increases in the number of pupils taking physics as well as good increases in the numbers taking chemistry and biology. The results are there. We are seeing significant improvements in science learning and the latest PISA––programme for international student assessment—results show that we have the third highest achievement of any country in Europe in science learning for 15-year-olds.

Secondary information