Practising Science GCSE
What is Practising Science GCSE?
‘Practising Science’ is a new project-based Y10/11 science course to encourage the take-up of STEM qualifications at post-16 and careers, particularly among under-represented groups. Students will gain two Higher Project Qualifications, which is equivalent to an extra science GCSE.
According to market research, schools find the concept of a Practising Science course very attractive: an antidote to their current content-laden and uninspiring GCSE course, and a more appropriate, skills-focussed alternative to ‘triple Science’.
It is based on an innovative apprenticeship model: teaching students to become competent science investigators and engineering problem-solvers, giving them insight into a range of STEM jobs, and then supporting them to succeed at two extended projects in science or engineering topics of interest.
Mastery Science, with support from Pearson, is creating the course for pilot schools to start in September 2025.
Why do we need the course?
There is a significant equity issue with access to post 16 science. Among students who take GCSE Combined Science, only 1% progress to Physics A-level, 2% to Chemistry and 4% to Biology. In contrast, the figures for Separate Sciences are 16%, 23%, 25%. This disparity makes disadvantaged students half as likely to pursue science A- levels as non-disadvantaged peers. Such inequities act as a “technology for reproduction of inequality” and limit growth in the UK’s STEM workforce, critical for policy goals like net zero.
Practising Science could become a pathway for disadvantaged students to progress to post-16 science or engineering, improving their life opportunities and contributing to the economy.
Who will benefit from the course?
Practising Science is uniquely designed for specific groups of students, using research on factors that influence progression.
Consider Alys, who wants make a difference to the environment. Prevented from studying triple science by her grades, she wrongly assumed she is not good enough for STEM [4]. She takes Practising Science, completes a project on reducing air pollution and earns two A* grades at HPQ - along with a GCSE mock score well above predictions. Thanks to this (RQ5) and mentoring by a university scientist, she now believe she is capable [5] and chooses science-A level (RQ2). Her two HPQs give her an extra A* at GCSE, a highlight in her university application.
Consider Billy, who believes ‘science is not for me’. The curriculum exposes him only to images of white male scientists and provides little opportunity to investigate like a scientist, and with no extra-curricular science opportunities [6]. Billy takes Practising Science where the teaching programme presents diverse case studies and insights into scientific practices (RQ4), building a more positive science identity (RQ1). As he literature on independent research projects suggests, [6] this develops a long-term interest (RQ1), and ‘21st century skills’ highly valued by higher education.
Consider Carl, who’s talented at building gadgets and could become an engineer but finds nothing in the curriculum to connect to his interests and knows little about engineering careers. He takes Practising Science, which, through engineering case studies and a mentored project on renewable engineering, meets the DfE (Gatsby) benchmarks for good careers education [7] and leads him to choose a T-Level in Engineering & Manufacturing.