School science laboratories below standard

7 October 2011

More than a third of schools have inadequate science laboratories, according to famous scientist Lord Winston.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference on Thursday, Lord Winston expressed his concerns that science facilities in around 35 per cent of state schools were not up to scratch.

His comments were made after the publication of a report by the Commons Public Accounts select committee claimed that attempts to increase the uptake of pupils studying science were being undermined by poor teaching and unsafe facilities.

The report said that many schools did not provide pupils with the option of studying the three separate sciences, physics, chemistry and biology, and pupils living in deprived areas were the most likely to be at a disadvantage.

Last summer, only 20 per cent of pupils took GCSEs in all three sciences.

In recognition of the lack of adequate science facilities, trusted education brand LapSafe® Products has launched the ExplorerLAB™ mobile science laboratory.

The ExplorerLAB™ mobile science lab is perfect for primary schools that may not have dedicated science labs, for teachers looking for a quality demonstration unit or as a viable alternative for schools that cannot afford to refurbish their existing laboratories, following the decision not to reinstate Building Schools for the Future (BSF).

The ExplorerLAB™ mobile science cart is a revolutionary portable teaching platform to deliver interactive and experimental biology, chemistry and physics. The science trolley comes complete with all of the equipment usually found in a traditional laboratory compacted into a secure, robust and rust-free science cabinet on wheels, enabling educators to teach science anywhere.

For more information on the ExplorerLAB™ trolley for science, please click here.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk