Our Policy Work
The Association for Science Education provides an independent, powerful voice for the science education community. Our ambition is to bring our expertise to bear, to influence science education policy at national levels. Science education should prepare present and future citizens for modern society, stimulate interest in the further study of the sciences and educate the next generation of science-based professionals.
We aim to achieve curriculum reform that:
- meets young people’s needs and improves their outcomes;
- drives a policy and practical framework that supports science educators;
- encourages science educators to stay in practice.
We represent the views of our members on a broad range of areas across science education. Submissions to government consultations and position statements are written by expert committee members supported by staff.
Our policy asks
Working with our committees and feeding from our work over recent years, we have four key asks for the new government. We have shared these asks with the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, as well as Becky Francis, lead in the Government's independent curriculum and assessment review. We are working actively to promote science education with the new government and key stakeholders.
Curriculum Review
We submitted ASE's response to the Curriculum Review 'Call for Evidence' back in November. You can access our full response below. We also issued a response to the interim report, which is also linked below. We will be continuing to actively engage with the process and relevant stakeholder groups.
Our partnership work
In addition to our own policy work, the ASE , Institute of Physics, Royal Society, Royal Society of Biology and Royal Society of Chemistry work in partnership to promote high-quality science education in schools as a Science Education Policy Alliance. As part of this group, we provide guidance and advice to those who make policy decisions about science education and advocate evidence-informed science education policy.
Similarly ASE works as part of the Learned Societies' Group on Scottish Science Education (LSG) which was established in 2012. Its remit includes identifying and promoting priorities for school science education in Scotland; monitoring and responding to school science education initiatives and developments; and stimulating debate relating to these issues in Scotland. The group comprises representatives from the: ASE, British Computer Society, Engineering Policy Group in Scotland, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Society of Edinburgh and Society of Biology.