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Sustainability Curriculum Survey results

We asked young people, educators, and chemists working in academia and industry across the UK and Ireland what they think of the way climate change and sustainability are currently taught in science and chemistry lessons. Our reports contain the key findings from these surveys and the next steps to a curriculum that's fit for the future.

The elements of a successful chemistry curriculum

Everyone is entitled to a chemistry education that is engaging and inspiring, and that will equip them with the skills to pursue the study of chemical sciences at higher levels. This report presents an overview of our curriculum framework for ages 11-19.

Developing a Primary Science Curriculum: Recommendations based on the Primary Curriculum Advisory Group’s Framework

The Primary Curriculum Advisory Group (PCAG) was established to produce advice for the ÂÜÀòÉç, Royal Society of Biology, Institute of Physics and Association for Science Education on a future primary science curriculum. This joint report by the four scientific organisations, sets out recommendations to policy makers and curriculum developers based on the PCAG framework, on what a future primary science curriculum should look like.

The Science Teaching Survey

The Science Teaching Survey in the UK and Ireland examines the experiences of science teachers and technicians in secondary and further education. It covers staffing, professional development, well-being and the chemistry curriculum. We use the insights as evidence to influence government policy, support educators and assess our impact.

Is chemistry accessible for all?

Enriching the chemistry curriculum with a small number of high-quality activities could make a big difference to students' interest in and enjoyment of the subject. In our report, you can find out why we're losing talent from the chemistry pipeline, the current chemistry uptake in schools and the action you can take to ensure equality of opportunity for all.

Curriculum (importance, purpose, principles, identified discipline)

The importance of chemistry education – Chemistry education is important because it provides benefits to both individuals and society. All learners should study chemistry up to the age of 16, as part of a balanced offering alongside biology and physics, and within a broad curriculum.

The purpose of a chemistry curriculum – Chemistry should be included as part of the core compulsory curriculum for all learners up to the age of 16. Students should be enabled to become scientifically literate citizens and be prepared for further study and/or careers in the chemical sciences.

Design principles for a chemistry curriculum – A successful chemistry curriculum should have a clear framework, clear progression, be aspirational, encourage the development of understanding of fundamental ideas and be informed by available evidence.

The identity of chemistry as a discipline in the curriculum – State-level intended curriculums should define and describe chemistry as a discipline, encouraging teachers to pass on that understanding.

Global perspectives and diverse representation in chemistry education

Last reviewed January 2025 - Teaching chemistry with stories, contexts and examples enriches learning for students and fosters a connection to a subject that is conceptually rich and can therefore sometimes seem abstract.

The use of contexts helps students understand how chemistry is applied in the real world, both locally and globally. It helps students to understand the relevance of the ideas studied and how the discipline is evolving, to develop scientific literacy, and to appreciate what chemistry brings to our society. But students should also see what society brings to chemistry – the diversity of the people that carry it out and who introduce new viewpoints, fresh ideas and different ways of thinking. Representation and inclusivity in chemistry education are critical to the learning experience and will help to ensure that pathways in the chemical sciences are open and attractive to all.

Practical chemistry education: A Vision for Practical Chemistry in 5-19 Education

Last reviewed May 2024 - Practical chemistry is an essential part of the chemistry discipline because it supports the understanding of the subject as an empirical science and is core to understanding the question ‘How do we do chemistry?’. We believe that all learners should have access to relevant and regular practical chemistry activities throughout their chemistry education, which are sustainable, inclusive, accessible and have a clear purpose.

Curriculum and assessment review (England) call for evidence

November 2024 - We responded to the Curriculum and Assessment review for England, commissioned by the Department for Education. Our submission to this wide ranging review touched on many issues including strengths and weaknesses of the current curriculum, the need for the science curriculum to be overhauled, the importance of practical work, the inequity of current qualification pathways, and the need for more sustainability and climate change content in the curriculum.

Leaving Certificate Chemistry

February 2024 - We responded to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) consultation on the draft specification for Leaving Certificate Chemistry. Our response focused on safe laboratory practice, the need for quantitative skills, the focus on sustainability, and raised concerns around foundational knowledge and the proposed approach to project work.

WJEC The Sciences proposals

November 2023 – We responded to WJEC’s consultation on their proposed qualification outline for GCSE The Sciences. We raised concerns over the lack of detail for certain features of the qualification, and the approach to the interdisciplinary ‘Bringing the Sciences Together’ unit. We also commented on the inclusion of practical and quantitative skills, and the proposed approach to assessment.

Lords 11-16 inquiry

April 2023 – We responded to the House of Lords committee on education for 11–16-year olds’ inquiry into the current secondary education system in England.  We mentioned the importance of practical work for the development of relevant skills, the benefits of adopting a single route through the sciences, improving the attractiveness of teaching as a profession and the need to develop a more relevant curriculum with clear career opportunities.

Labour National Policy Forum

March 2023 – We inputted into Labours Policy Forum about a range of topics relevant to the chemical sciences. We talked about the importance of education addressing teacher shortages and to a improve economic growth. We highlighted the importance of effectively embedding the topics of climate change and sustainability into the curriculum.

• Labour NPF Better jobs better work
• Labour NPF Britain in the world
• Labour NPF Green digital future

Scottish Government National Discussion

December 2022 – We responded to Scotland’s National Discussion on Education. In our response, we offered our insights on issues such as sustainability in the curriculum, practical work, teacher workload and the importance of diverse role models in chemistry education.

Ofsted education inspection framework 

April 2019 – We responded to Ofsted’s consultation on their draft inspection framework 2019. We commented on the proposal to introduce a ‘quality of education’ judgement’, recognising that a well-planned and sequenced curriculum is central to a high-quality education, and that this curriculum should allow all learners to progress in their skills and knowledge.  We welcomed the changes to the leadership and management criteria which encourage leaders to value and carefully develop their staff.

Bridging the skills gap

February 2022 – The Government responded to the recommendations from the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) on the topic of Green Jobs. Among the recommendations by the EAC, there were some which paralleled the recommendations in our Green Shoots report. We believe that meaningful changes to the curriculum need to be made to ensure that young people are well equipped to tackle global challenges.

Primary Curriculum Advisory Group publishes its Framework for a Future Primary Science Curriculum report

October 2023 – The primary curriculum advisory group (PCAG) established in March 2019 by the ÂÜÀòÉç, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Biology and Association for Science Education published a framework for a future primary science curriculum.

Labour education pledges

July 2023 – The Labour Party has set out its missions for government, with the fifth mission being focused on education. We welcomed Labour recognising that a review of the curriculum is needed, highlighting our thoughts for an inclusive and modern chemistry curriculum. We also welcomed mentions of vocational routes in science and issues facing the teaching workforce but wanted to see more detail in their plans for improving the retention of teachers.

Practical chemistry education

June 2024 - Practical chemistry is an essential part of the chemistry discipline because it supports the understanding of the subject as an empirical science and is core to understanding the question ‘How do we do chemistry?’. We believe that all learners should have access to relevant and regular practical chemistry activities throughout their chemistry education, which are sustainable, inclusive, accessible and have a clear purpose.

Single route through the sciences for 14-16 year olds

Opportunities for high-quality study of the sciences should be available to all on an equitable basis. This report explores the evidence around the current dual-route approach to the sciences at 14-16 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and advocates for the creation of a single route at key stage 4 that would remove the need for potentially limiting decisions to be made at fourteen.

ABS consultation

March 2024 – We responded to the Department for Education’s consultation on the proposed new Advanced British Standard (ABS), a new Baccalaureate-style qualification framework for 16–19-year-olds. We commented on the proposed design for the new Level 3 qualifications, the assessment principles, and the opportunities and challenges implementing this qualification would bring to the recruitment and retention of staff.

Qualifications Wales – The full 14-16 offer

June 2023 – We responded to Qualifications Wales’ consultation on the proposed full 14-16 qualifications offer in Wales. This consultation was focused on courses other than GCSEs for 14-16 year-old learners, which for science consisted of a foundation level course. We commented on the overall number of qualifications on offer, progression routes, and the need for real-world contexts including sustainability.

Qualifications Wales ‘The Sciences’ proposals

December 2022 – We responded to Qualifications Wales’ consultation on the proposed Made-for-Wales GCSE The Sciences qualification. We commented on the proposed assessment model, the case for a single route through the sciences, sustainability, quantitative chemistry content, and shared the opinions of teachers in our community.

Science & Technology Committee – Diversity in STEM

January 2022 - We responded to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee’s inquiry into diversity and inclusion in STEM. Regarding inequalities in education – we talked about underrepresentation of Black undergraduate students at Russell Group universities and barriers to further study and training in the chemical sciences based on social and economic inequalities.  

Review of post-16 qualifications at level 3

January 2021 – We responded to the Department for Education’s consultation as part of the second stage review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 in England. We commented on the importance of applied science qualifications such as BTECs, ensuring equity of participation in the sciences, progression opportunities into the sciences and the importance of serving the needs of SEND students.

APPG on Diversity and Inclusion in Stem – Inquiry into equity in the STEM workforce

January 2021 – We submitted evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM’s call for evidence. We presented evidence from various RSC reports which showed that the chemical sciences are not representative of wider society. Regarding secondary and further education, we suggested that plans to de-fund certain level-3 science qualifications risked reducing equality of access to STEM education at post-16 and beyond, which in turn could negatively impact the diversity of the workforce over time. We also commented on the impact of Covid-19 on the least advantaged learners.

Lords 11-16 inquiry

April 2023 – We responded to the House of Lords committee on education for 11–16-year olds’ inquiry into the current secondary education system in England.  We mentioned the importance of practical work for the development of relevant skills, the benefits of adopting a single route through the sciences, improving the attractiveness of teaching as a profession and the need to develop a more relevant curriculum with clear career opportunities.

Ofsted education inspection framework

April 2019 – We responded to Ofsted’s consultation on their draft inspection framework 2019. We commented on the proposal to introduce a ‘quality of education’ judgement’, recognising that a well-planned and sequenced curriculum is central to a high-quality education, and that this curriculum should allow all learners to progress in their skills and knowledge.  We welcomed the changes to the leadership and management criteria which encourage leaders to value and carefully develop their staff.

Wales GCSE science changes: "a missed opportunity"

June 2023 – After consultation, Qualifications Wales took the decision to introduce an additional science qualification at GCSE level as part of their reforms to the qualification landscape in Wales. We commented on our disappointment at their moving away from a single route through the sciences that would have provided equitable access for all learners to the sciences. We also commented on the inclusion of practical science and interdisciplinary components.

How do we make chemistry fair for all

August 2022 – In this article we lay out two areas of recent work where we have had significant concerns about the impact on chemistry education for all, and implications for the sector. The importance of applied science qualifications at level 3 is discussed, alongside the evidence behind our response to the CEIAG select committee inquiry that suggests the number of students picking chemistry at HE is falling.

Welsh qualification reforms

October 2021 – In spring 2021 Qualifications Wales consulted on the range of subjects that would be offered at GCSE. We supported the removal of the existing suite of science qualifications, to be replaced with a single GCSE Science qualification, roughly the size of two GCSEs. We lay out our response to this approach, along with our arguments in favour of a single route through the sciences at 14-16.

Labour education pledges

July 2023 – The Labour Party has set out its missions for government, with the fifth mission being focused on education. We welcomed Labour recognising that a review of the curriculum is needed, highlighting our thoughts for an inclusive and modern chemistry curriculum. We also welcomed mentions of vocational routes in science and issues facing the teaching workforce but wanted to see more detail in their plans for improving the retention of teachers.

The Science Teaching Survey

The Science Teaching Survey in the UK and Ireland examines the experiences of science teachers and technicians in secondary and further education. It covers staffing, professional development, well-being and the chemistry curriculum. We use the insights as evidence to influence government policy, support educators and assess our impact.

Teacher recruitment and retention

Last reviewed 2019 - Improving working conditions for teachers is key to addressing shortages of chemistry teachers in England. It would help retain the current workforce and make it a more attractive career option for new entrants and returners.

Teacher expertise

Last reviewed 2020 – All students should have an unbroken chain of experts teaching them the sciences throughout their school education. Current low rates of recruitment and retention of chemistry and physics teachers in most parts of the UK make it unlikely that this aim will be met through increased recruitment alone. Consequently, supporting the existing teaching workforce is key. Initial Teacher Education is just the start of a teacher’s journey to become an expert practitioner. To ensure enough experts are teaching the sciences, teachers must be supported to develop and where appropriate, expand their subject and pedagogical content knowledge throughout their careers.

Government's Education Select Committee teacher recruitment

April 2023 – Our evidence submission included details about the challenges of chemistry teacher recruitment and the inequalities that exist when it comes to the distribution and deployment of specialist chemistry teachers; concerns about the ITT reaccreditation process; teachers CPD; issues related to Subject Knowledge Enhancement course provision; and our concerns about the lack of subject specificity in the Early Career Framework.

ITT Market Review

August 2021 – We responded to the DfE’s consultation on the recommendations from the Initial Teacher Training market review report. We welcomed the focus on mentoring but were concerned about some logistical issues regarding implementing some of the recommendations. We called on the DfE to engage further with the profession before implementing major changes.

Letter to DfE Teaching workforce Director about ECF

May 2019 – Along with seven other expert subject organisations we wrote to officials at the DfE about the Early Career Framework. We recommended that at least 50% of mentoring and development time should be dedicated to subject-specific aspects of professional learning.

Tackling teacher shortages

February 2020 – Annette Farrell from our education policy team considers some of the issues affecting teacher recruitment and retention in the UK. 

Labour education pledges

July 2023 – The Labour Party has set out its missions for government, with the fifth mission being focused on education. We welcomed Labour recognising that a review of the curriculum is needed, highlighting our thoughts for an inclusive and modern chemistry curriculum. We also welcomed mentions of vocational routes in science and issues facing the teaching workforce but wanted to see more detail in their plans for improving the retention of teachers.