Why we should ditch working scientifically

By Ben Rogers2024-04-12T06:00:00

A cartoon of a young person in a shopping trolley wearing an astronaut's helmet rolling towards a lightbulb

Source: © Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

Explore a different approach to this national curriculum strand, grounded in contemporary cognitive science

Working scientifically is a key strand of the national curriculum in England for learners aged 5 to 16. This is exactly the sort of thing young people should be learning: how scientists work and what citizens need to know about science to make informed democratic and personal decisions. However, the way the national curriculum sequences, prioritises and explains that the working scientifically approach isn’t actually scientific at all. It’s time for a new way forward.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor.

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
applications for funding to support your lessons

Set up your Teach Chemistry account

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.