Update - Science and Technology Committee – Report on science field trips
The Science and Technology Committee have published its final report into 'Practical experiments in school science lessons and science field trips'. Overall, the report is very positive, expressing support for several of the recommendations the School Travel Forum made to the Committee in our evidence submission and concluding that "both practical lessons and learning outside the classroom are essential contributors to good quality science education".
Interestingly, the Committee states that it received no detailed cases showing that health and safety legislation prevent science practical’s or field trips, suggesting that while “health and safety” may be used as a convenient excuse for avoiding practical’s and work outside the classroom, other more fundamental reasons are preventing the uptake of outdoor education in the science disciplines. However, the Committee does acknowledge the success of the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge in removing some of the health and safety burdens for field trips from schools to providers, recommending that the Government work to establish a central repository or facility which provides health and safety guidance for those experiments. This recommendation aligns with our arguments about the benefits of organisations such as the STF in removing the health and safety burdens on teachers and providing them with the confidence that its member travel companies meet stringent health and safety criteria.
The Committee also accepts our arguments about the need to ensure teachers are better trained to have the competence to deliver fieldwork and outdoor education, recommending that in order to advance over pay thresholds, a science teacher should demonstrate he or she has maintained the practical classroom skills, fieldwork and associated risk assessment skills necessary to be a good science teacher. In addition, the Committee highlights the need for Ofsted to play a greater role in encouraging science practical’s and fieldwork, although it only goes as far to recommend that schools be required to demonstrate adequate practical facilities and report on the management of science laboratories during Ofsted inspection. We will continue to engage with the Committee and DfE to emphasise the need for Ofsted to also report on the provision of outdoor learning and fieldwork in order to raise the profile and importance attributed to this learning approach.
Encouragingly, the Committee recommends that Ofqual require a fieldwork component to all science courses in which students much collect data outside the classroom. In addition, the Committee suggest that the Government give clear guidance to schools on how the pupil premium might be used to meet this requirement, again supporting our arguments that schools be encouraged to use the premium to fund school trips for those from poorer backgrounds. The Committee also acknowledges our concerns that time is often cited as a barrier to the provision of good quality field trips, recommending that the Government seek to ensure that the time gained through the slimming down of the curriculum as part of its ongoing Curriculum Review is used to broaden the teaching of science and its practical aspects.
The Government is expected to respond to the Committee's recommendations in the next few months, and we will monitor for the publication of the response.
As advised the STF has responded to the SCience & Technology Select Committee's consultation on school science lessons and field trips.
Our response has been to highlight the well-evidenced benefits of field trips, outdoor learning and longer residential visits.
We have suggested measures to remove barriers that prevent such activities which include: the reduction of unnecessary bureaucracy; the importance of ensuring new teachers are trained and confident to engage in trips; the benefits of including an entitlement to school trips and the role the School Travel Forum plays in simplifying and enabling the provision of safe, effective and stimulating school trips.
The full submission can be found here.