Editing Science education (section)

===United Kingdom===
{{See also|Science education in England}}

In English and Welsh schools, science is a compulsory subject in the National Curriculum. All pupils from 5 to 16 years of age must study science. It is generally taught as a single subject science until sixth form, then splits into subject-specific [[Advanced Level (UK)|A levels]] ([[physics]], [[chemistry]] and [[biology]]). However, the government has since expressed its desire that those pupils who achieve well at the age of 14 should be offered the opportunity to study the three separate sciences from September 2008.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7245529.stm|title='Poor lacking' choice of sciences|date=15 February 2008|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=22 February 2008|author=Kim Catcheside|work=BBC News website}}</ref> In Scotland the subjects split into chemistry, physics and biology at the age of 13–15 for [[Education in Scotland|National 4/5s]] in these subjects, and there is also a combined science standard grade qualification which students can sit, provided their school offers it.

In September 2006 a new science program of study known as 21st Century Science was introduced as a [[GCSE]] option in UK schools, designed to "give all 14 to 16-year-old's a worthwhile and inspiring experience of science".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.21stcenturyscience.org/ |title=Welcome to Twenty First Century Science<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=15 December 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101055026/http://www.21stcenturyscience.org/ |archive-date=1 January 2007 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> In November 2013, Ofsted's survey of science<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/maintaining-curiosity-survey-science-education-schools|title=Maintaining curiosity: a survey into science education in schools|date=21 November 2013|publisher=Ofsted|access-date=25 November 2013}}</ref> in schools revealed that practical science teaching was not considered important enough.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://theconversation.com/we-cannot-afford-to-get-science-education-wrong-20667|title=We cannot afford to get science education wrong|last=Holman|first=John|date=22 November 2013|work=The Conversation|access-date=25 November 2013}}</ref> At the majority of English schools, students have the opportunity to study a separate science program as part of their GCSEs, which results in them taking 6 papers at the end of Year 11; this usually fills one of their option 'blocks' and requires more science lessons than those who choose not to partake in separate science or are not invited. Other students who choose not to follow the compulsory additional science course, which results in them taking 4 papers resulting in 2 GCSEs, opposed to the 3 GCSEs given by taking separate science.