National Curriculum: compulsory school science - is it improving scientific literacy?

This paper presents the initial findings of a long-term study to examine wh ether the introduction of compulsory school science for pupils in UK school s in 1991 is effective in raising the general level of scientific literacy. The use of the term 'scientific literacy' in the literature is considered and a definition of the term as it is applied in this study is offered. The scientific literacy level of two groups of initial teacher training studen ts with contrasting experiences of school science was compared. Students co mpleted a simple science test that had been originally written for 11-year- old children. The average test score of students who had experienced compul sory school science from the ages of 11 to 16 was found to be significantly higher (p = 0.014) than that of students for whom school science was optio nal at secondary level. The study also highlights specific areas of concept ual difficulty in basic science experienced by almost all of the students t ested. Test questions relating to the circulatory system, light and sound p roduced very low scores from almost all students, regardless of their scien ce background. The paper considers the implications of these findings for s cience teachers and policymakers in both the primary and secondary sectors.