The Institution of Engineering and Technology (www.theiet.org) has said it doesn’t think the government’s planned reforms to the national curriculum, announced today, will do that much for science education.

 

The new-style national curriculum, set to be introduced in September 2014, in fact “risk turning children off science,” it warns.

 

Why? Education Secretary Michael Gove, emphasise that focus will be removed from scientific experiments – a move it considers ill-advised.

 

For Stephanie Fernandes, Education Policy Advisor at the IET: “Primary school children are inspired by scientific experiments, and many find that these early introductions to the subject set them up for a life-long love of the subject, which can then steer them into science, engineering and technology careers.

 

Removing the focus on conducting what are often fun and exciting experiments in these early years risks missing out on children’s natural enthusiasms during their early school careers, turning them off science in their later years.

 

“This could seriously impact upon the skills needed for the future well-being and global competitiveness of UK industry, where there is already a woeful skills shortage.”