Field Studies Council And Biology Curriculum

EDM number 1552 in 2002-03, proposed by Ian Gibson on 08/07/2003.

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.

This motion has been signed by a total of 40 MPs.