Testing regime 'stifles creativity' in science

Pressure on primary schools to achieve good results means teachers are forced to focus on "drumming the required facts into pupils' heads", says a report by The Royal Society.

It says that England's high-stakes testing system leaves little time for practical lessons, and is turning children off science, and maths.

The society's "state of the nation" report assessed the current state of maths and science education for five to 14-year-olds. The study found that central Government's focus on testing in primary schools has had "little effect" on pupils science and maths results.

The report warns that the approach is "stifling creativity" in the classroom, and limiting pupil's experiences of maths and science.

"Their ability to perform in the tests masks an inadequate conceptual understanding of these subjects that is exposed at secondary level when science is disaggregated into biology, chemistry and physics. Various studies have recorded that many children are switched off science and mathematics following transfer into secondary education, and it is very probable that this is irreversible."

The report also found that the majority of England's primary schools do not have specialist teachers needed to provide a high quality science education. It calls for a move away from "teaching to the test", and the launch of a major new drive to recruit specialist science and maths teachers.

The Royal Society also wants more emphasis to be put on practical work to help youngsters to better understand the subjects. It recommends scrapping the maths Sats tests taken by 11-year-olds at the end of primary school.