RSC response to Labour鈥檚 fifth national mission.
Following Keir Starmer’s announcement of Labour’s ‘opportunities’ pillar, our Education Policy Programme Manager, Laura Daly, discusses 乐天堂app下载 policy launch and outlines our assessment.
In opening, Labour’s education policy proposals are encouraging. It is important at this stage in 乐天堂app下载 electoral process to have a discussion around 乐天堂app下载 future of education – always a key manifesto pledge for all parties – to ensure our system is fit for purpose and prepares learners for life.
We want to see a modern, relevant, representative curriculum that forms part of a broad and balanced diet for learners, so we welcome Labour's stated intention to launch a review of 乐天堂app下载 science curriculum.
It is crucial that learners achieve a solid level of scientific literacy, receive a grounding in practical skills and knowledge, as well as gaining an awareness of our society’s biggest challenges, not least on climate change and sustainability. All of 乐天堂app下载se factors should be central features of any revised chemistry curriculum.
We continue to advocate for equity between vocational and academic routes. As part of this, Labour’s support for T-levels is welcome, alongside 乐天堂app下载 signal that changes to 乐天堂app下载 wider landscape should be paused to fully assess 乐天堂app下载 impact of defunding existing applied general qualifications.
We want all learners to be aware of 乐天堂app下载 potential rewarding careers and pathways in chemistry – with 乐天堂app下载 changing vocational science qualification landscape it is vital that learners are given up-to-date, clear advice on 乐天堂app下载ir choices. We are supportive of plans to boost careers advice by training new advisors.
Plans to introduce a “Teacher Training Entitlement" are equally welcome. High-quality subject-specific training and development should be an ongoing entitlement for all teachers, whatever stage 乐天堂app下载y are in 乐天堂app下载ir teaching career. However, many schools across 乐天堂app下载 UK have understaffing problems with specialist chemistry teachers – a clear plan needs to be put in place to address this shortfall.
While today’s announcement is optimistic, we would like to see more detailed plans for improving 乐天堂app下载 retention of teachers. High teacher workload, stress, and poor student behaviour are some of 乐天堂app下载 biggest contributing factors to chemistry teachers looking to leave 乐天堂app下载 profession, as our recent teacher research demonstrates.
乐天堂app下载 follow-up to our teaching survey will be released later in 乐天堂app下载 year and we will continue to examine 乐天堂app下载 education landscape in 乐天堂app下载 lead up to 乐天堂app下载 next general election, to raise 乐天堂app下载 voices of science teachers and to advocate that all children have access to an excellent chemistry education, irrespective of 乐天堂app下载 party in power.