FIELD STUDIES COUNCIL AND BIOLOGY CURRICULUM

Early day motion 1552, tabled 8 July 2003 by Ian Gibson (Labour). Signed by 40 members.

That this House congratulates the educational charity, the Field Studies Council, which provides field courses for biology students through 17 field centres to pupils from over 430 schools; believes that field work is a vital part of school education; notes a reduction in the overall numbers of pupils, particularly A level students, participating in such projects and observes that similar trends in universities are leading to a shortfall in graduates with the necessary skills to support biodiversity -related activities such as surveying and land use planning; observes that this trend will also reduce awareness of a range of environmental issues; further notes that low priority is given to fieldwork in the 14 to 19 biology curriculum and that it is optional in the 14 to 16 (GCSE) and the A level (16 to 19) curricula; invites the Secretary of State to ensure that field work is strongly encouraged at GCSE level and that every A level biology student is required to have field experience in the first (AS) year of the A level course; believes that resources to fund field work should be made available and that OFSTED should ensure that field studies are available to all pupils studying biology; and further believes that all trainee biology teachers should have sufficient experience to deliver out-of-classroom teaching and that in-service training opportunities should be available for teachers who need to improve their skills in this regard.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Liberal Democrat 10, Conservative 4, Independent Ulster Unionist 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1.