Background

In January 2006, the Wellcome Trust published a report on teachers' attitudes to CPD entitled "Believers, Seekers and Sceptics: what teachers think about continuing professional development".

The report indicated that updating subject knowledge and teaching skills were rated the most important areas for CPD and could:

• make teachers more confident in their role
• increase morale
• benefit the whole school 

Secondary science teachers were particularly keen to update their subject knowledge - 72% wanted more CPD in that area compared to 60% for other subject teachers.  Only 35% were satisfied with subject related courses compared with 48% for secondary school teachers as a whole.

50% of all secondary science teachers had no subject related CPD in the past five years.

Why is the programme so important?

In January 2006, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) also published a report entitled 'Mathematics and Science in Secondary Schools - The Deployment of Teachers and Support Staff to Deliver the Curriculum.'

The report showed that 44% of science teachers in UK secondary schools are biology specialists, whereas only 25% were chemistry specialists. 

It is widely recognised that the best teachers are those who have specialist subject knowledge and a real passion and enthusiasm for the subject they teach. For example, Ofsted evidence shows that the level of qualification held by the teacher has a direct correlation to the quality of the student experience. 

Although the DfES has now become the DfE, these findings are still relevant today and so it is important that science teachers are able to access good quality CPD to ensure that they are teaching with confidence and enthusiasm.

How is the programme funded?

The Wolfson Foundation is a charity that awards grants to support excellence in the fields of science and medicine, health, education and the arts & humanities.

The Reach and Teach programme, whose aim (in partnership with the Open University) is to inspire outstanding chemistry students, was supported by a grant from 2011-2013 from the Wolfson Foundation and working with the RSC on these courses, the aim is to spark interest, challenge and excite students and provide an insight into the creativity and innovation that studying chemistry in higher education has to offer. 

As well as the funding from the Wolfson Foundation, the regional Science Learning Centres, on behalf of the DfE, are able to offer Impact Award bursaries for many of our courses.
Those involved in science education from a state funded school, academy or college may be eligible for an Impact Award of up to £525, to help them cover the cost of attending certain courses 

Note: In order to be eligible to receive the bursary you will also need to complete a task after the course which identifies where the impact of the course has taken place.

Please note: provision of bursaries is dependent on availability of Government funding.