Chemistry Popular if Taught Well

Posted by Simon Davies Feb 24, 2008

A very encouraging story from the RSC (here) throws up some important questions about the state of science education in the UK.

Haileybury is a public school, which in the UK means that students have to pay quite large sums of money to attend (a state school is free to all). This means that the school has a much larger budget available.

In the upper-sixth form there are 35 students taking chemistry A-Level, as well as two or three other subjects. Of those 35, 14 have chosen to study chemistry at university.

What is the secret of the Haileybury Chemistry Department?

Is it simply that the school has more modern labs and can afford to give each individual student, good quality, functional equipment? Many state schools have to make sixth form students share equipment between two or three. I am sure this reason does enter into it.

One quote from the head of Chemistry, Ray Dexter, however, I think gets to the heart of the matter:

"Chemistry, taught badly, is the worst subject in the world, but, if it is well-taught, pupils never want to stop studying it."

The manner of teaching makes all the difference. Chemistry is a fascinating and, indeed, exciting subject. Many teachers today are simply not doing the subject justice. But this is not always the fault of the teachers.

The science teacher in the UK has so many presures on his time and energy, especially with chidren lower down the schools who simply do not want to learn, that when they get to A-level classes, they simply do not have the enthusiasm left to put a spark into their teaching.

The answer? No idea! Maybe dedicated sixth-form colleges with good facilities and fresh teacher would help.