Science Learning in Kent

Entitlements at KS4 in science

Further to my r3cent e-mails regarding KS4 entitlements I have spoken with QCA and the DCFS and got a little further.There are 2 acceptable "courses" that are ststutory entitlements at KS4. These are:

Science (Core) GCSE with Additional Science GCSE  OR  Biology, Chemistry and Physics (all GCSE) - i.e. Triple science.

Any other courses and combinations do not meet the statutory requirements.

What does this mean? I have asked the DCFS this. In short, one (or both) of the above courses needs to be offered. This may be through an arrangement with another school but students have to be able make a choice. What happens then in a school which offers OCR Nationals to all pupils when a parent complains? This would eventually be tested, and DCFS would perhaps become involved in this. 

I have found out that schools will not be written to specifically about this. Consequently you might find the booklet "Nurturing tomorrow's Scientists" useful to show your Head and others within the school. There are to be regional conferences to support schools on the new entitlements and how to meet them. The link below goes to the page where details of the conferences are to be found and the booklet mentioned can be downloaded.

Go to  http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=spectrum&ProductId=DCSF-00965-2007

It appears schools should be offering the above statutory courses where they are deemed to be appropriate. Students gaining L6+ at KS3 have an entitlement to study Triple science. However, this is not a statutory requirement. Triple science should be offered to those students for whom it is thought to be appropriate. Schools may choose to offer triple science in conjunction with other schools or colleges or find some other creative ways of doing this. The current project from the LSN may suggest ways of covering this, e-learning is one alternative being looked at. How schools free up the time for this is also under scrutiny. The key is in the word appropriate. A pupil scaping a level 6 will probably be better served by following a 2 GCSE science course. Better to get 2 passes at C or above than 3 grades below a C.

In the final analysis, schools should be offering a curriculum suited to the needs of their pupils. Alternative provision may need to be offered and some schools may start to look at potential partners for this.

The table of courses v entitlement and reporting is attached to this post for download.