Primary school science in the 1980s

[Arran]

When I was at primary school in the 1990s there was a National Curriculum; science lessons about 90% the same as science lessons today; and in KS2 a timetable with designated periods for science.

Was it true that in the 1980s the teaching of science in primary schools was highly inconsistent and could vary dramatically from school to school even in the same town due to the lack of a standard curriculum? I am aware that the BBC and ITV broadcast many educational programmes about science back then but how well did schools follow them?

[havasack]

Re: Primary school science in the 1980s

I was at primary school in the early to mid 70's and there was much more focus on the 3 "R's" and creativity than science though we did a bit. Last year we took our daughter out of last year primary and into 2nd yr Middle school and the teaching of science is massively improved due to the school having an older mindset and proper labs.

[darren]

Re: Primary school science in the 1980s

I honestly cant remember doing science in primary school in the eighties.
Maybe i did but i just cant remember.

I remember dong r.e. P.e. Art, maths, english.

But science nope cant remember.

[havasack]

Re: Primary school science in the 1980s

Our primary school science was things like ,What floats, basic circuitry, what conducts electricity, very basic biology like parts of plants and how plants grow, stuff like that. The fun started in middle with the chemistry labs.

[Arran]

Re: Primary school science in the 1980s

Middle schools have teaching resources for KS3 and teachers who can teach to KS3 that primary schools do not have. Kids in KS2 years at middle schools have access to them. In the years before the National Curriculum KS2 kids at middle schools tended to study more science than kids in primary schools according to my findings.