Teacher Perceptions of Science in the National Curriculum: Findings from an application of the Science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire in English primary schools

Abstract

This article presents and discusses outcomes arising from a recently completed National Primary Science Survey (England) intended, in part, to elicit how teachers and others perceive the effectiveness of colleagues and the schools in which they work to implement and deliver primary science within the National Curriculum. While the majority view among respondents was found to be generally positive and encouraging, particularly so in terms of school ethos and regard for science as a curriculum area, certain personal or ‘intrinsic’ and environmental or ‘extrinsic’ elements were nevertheless identified as more inhibiting than others and for certain subgroups within the sample of participants itself. The majority of findings reported here were obtained using a seven-scale, 49-item diagnostic research instrument originally developed for use in New Zealand and subsequently transported to other locations around the world. In its first fully documented use within the UK, the validity, reliability and potential of this instrument to provide teachers and others with a means of evaluating science education provision together with providing an evidence-base for professional dialogue, strategic planning and decision-making for overall school improvement are considered.