I read with interest Anne Goldsworthy’s article, “Forces at Play” (Science Extra,TES, September 1) and agree wholeheartedly that the provision of training for primary teachers in science is inadequate.
There must be sustained effort to ensure that the progress made in the past six years is maintained and improved even further. We continually wring our hands and complain that science is not a popular choice post-16. A key to raising the profile of the subject is to make science a lifelong learning experience and ensure that children are educated in science, not simply taught the facts of science.
Education in the widest sense is the key to popularising the subject and equipping future generations with the knowledge and understanding to live and contribute to an increasingly technological society. That education must begin in the primary schools.
JAMES WILLIAMS
Head of science The Beacon School Banstead, Surrey
