Practicals are a cornerstone of science education; a brilliant way to keep students motivated to learn while retaining the real-life impacts of what they read. Yet despite experiments being a favourite among students and teachers, practicals are consistently being deprioritised in lessons.
Research from Pearson earlier this year shows that in a course of a week, 98% of science teachers observed students struggling to engage in their learning. Yet there is a clear correlation between practicals and engagement.
In 2023, The Royal Society’s Science Education Tracker found that, for Years 7-9, practical work was their top motivator to learn science, while 70% of year 7-11 students reported wanting to do more practical work in the subject. Yet, under the weight of syllabus content, budget constraints and in some cases, lack of equipment, it’s no wonder that practicals are on the decline.
Marry that with fewer science technicians and science teachers in schools and we have a very concerning picture. When I started over 20 years ago, there were far more established science departments with a wide variety of technicians available. Now, associate staff roles are often the first to be restructured or not replaced, and a large number of schools have a sole science technician, some of whom can be very new to the role.
As educators and scientists, we know the importance of practicals – the hands-on skills that lead to confidence in handling science equipment and in many cases, providing them with key skills for the future – so it’s disheartening to see the situation we currently find ourselves in.
However, there are steps we can take to ensure practical experiments appear more reliably on science timetables without substantially impacting current time demands or departmental budgets.
Talk to the technician
Share with technicians your plans for different units and the key outcomes you would like to achieve that term or year: it’s essential that practicals are relevant to these. The technician will be able to make suggestions for the lesson or class, explain the way they prepare the experiment and explain the resources they use, ensuring your time and budget is used correctly.
Where there is capacity, assisting with practicals or demonstrations is an opportunity for science technicians to share their knowledge and expertise, offering a different perspective and potentially adding a different conversation dynamic into the lesson. Being able to interact with students in lessons raises the profile of the science technician role too.
Consider different methods
Science technicians will also be able to help you here but think about all the different practical methods and adaptations available. Simply using a different method could save you time and budget, allowing you to fit even more practical experiments into your academic year and allowing all students access to an engaging practical experience.
Microscale practicals, for example, offer the same experiment outcomes but use a fraction of the chemicals or solutions required. Not only can they be safer to carry out, they can also help resolve issues with limited amounts of equipment, and have cost-saving financial benefits.
Microscale can be particularly useful with the “disappearing cross” rates of reaction experiment where less sulphur dioxide is produced, and in Electrolysis experiments where petri dishes can be used to reduce solution volumes.
Explore alternative resources
To be prepared for all occasions, take the time to look at other resources available, for example videos. While videos should by no means replace practical experiments, they can be an effective resource for teachers – especially cover teachers.
There are also a number of organisations who spend a huge amount of their time and finances running workshops or sessions helping non-subject specialist teachers and technicians improve their theory knowledge and practical skills. For example, in physics, The Ogden Trust and Physics Partners are great organisations to explore. The Association for Science Education (ASE) often runs initiatives too, and offers resources dedicated to practical science, as does the Royal Society.
Demonstrations are just as important
Don’t forget, a demonstration should always be seen as more beneficial than no activity at all. By starting a lesson with a demonstration, you are not only engaging your students from the get-go but providing visual learning opportunities that can lead to understanding of key learning objectives, where theory alone might not be fully understandable.
Finally, collaborate!
Sharing your own experiments and learning outcomes with others is so important. “Clinic” sessions can be held in department time meetings, or on INSET days where the science department can come together to focus on and carry out practical activities. Different groups can leave tips or feedback after carrying out experiments, ensuring that knowledge, expertise and good practice is shared.
Also explore inviting a science technician to your department meetings, hosting a 15-minute slot to highlight a new activity, or giving health and safety updates. Looking outside your own school could be beneficial too. Could you share ideas and experiences within science departments among other secondary schools in the local area?
Practical work forms a fundamental part of school science education, just as speaking and listening are essential parts of learning languages. In light of research showing that many KS4 students receive little ‘hands-on’ experience of practical science and complete their qualifications without developing those skills, Pearson is working with schools and experts to explore a future for science that reduces the content burden within the subject to make space for more practical science.
Whilst we collectively wait with everything crossed in the hope that the sector can start to address the lack of practicals in science lessons across the country, we can also work together to ensure students today get the experiences they need for success in their future.
By Paul Cook(RSciTech, Hon.FInstP) – Senior Lead Technician at ARK Burlington Danes Academy and Lead Technician for the Ark Academy network.
A multi award winning Senior/Head Technician he has worked in various schools in Essex and across London and has worked for GATSBY as a Technician Advisor.
Pearson is offering a range of free support resources to help students develop the knowledge and understanding needed for core practicals in GCSE and A level Science
