• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

GCSE Results: Drop in Science Candidates a Worry for Joint Council

Posted on: Friday, 26 August 2005, 06:00 CDT

The number of students taking science GCSEs dropped by about 8,000 this year.

Overall fewer pupils sat science exams, despite a rise in those entering for physics, chemistry and biology as separate subjects, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQDr Ellie Johnson Searle, director of the JCQ, said analysis of GCSE figures released by the umbrella body this morning confirmed that entries had fallen by some 8,000.

"We don't know where they are. They are not accounted for in the increases"The question would be, did they take it earlier or are they taking it later ?"

Education pressure groups also raised concerns that less able students were being persuaded to take easier science qualifications as schools attempted to improve results.

Science single award saw a20.6 per cent rise in entries year on year, while the more difficult science double award saw students fall by 6.2 per cent from 1,054,034 in 2004 to 988,900 in 2005.

Rosemary Davies, of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said: "One of the things that's a bit worrying is that less able students are being given the single science to do.

"They should be pushed to do double science or individual science subjects wherever possible."

However, she welcomed significant hikes in the number of people sitting individual physics, biology and chemistry exams.

Entries for biology rose by 5.9 per cent from 53,389 in 2004 to 56,522 in 2005, while chemistry increased 4.3 per cent from 51,225 to 53,428. Physics also rose 4.3 per cent from 50,404 in 2004 to 52,568 in 2005

Source: Birmingham Post; Birmingham (UK)

More News in this Category