The Government has vowed to look at how health and safety legislation can be removed, amended, or simplified so that over-zealous interpretations and decisions, which inhibit school activities, can be tackled.
The promise was made as part of its response yesterday (29 November) to the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee’s report on what schools need to do to overcome the perceived and real barriers to providing practicals and fieldwork opportunities for science pupils.
The Committee’s report, published in September, found no convincing evidence that health and safety legislation itself prevents science practicals and field trips, but acknowledged that perceived health and safety concerns and the amount of paperwork involved in planning school excursions could be a deterrent to undertaking them.
In its response, the Government agreed with this conclusion and highlighted simplified guidance, published by the Department for Education over the summer, aimed at addressing the problem.
It added: “The Government is making it easier for schools to take pupils on trips, removing paperwork and taking steps to reduce teachers’ concerns about the threat of legal action. Teachers should be confident that they know best how to look after pupils and keep them safe.
“This document summarises the existing health and safety law relevant to schools and explains how it affects local authorities, governing bodies, head teachers and other school staff. It covers activities that take place on or off school premises, including school trips.”
However, the Government did not commit to the Committee’s recommendation that it should establish a central repository, or network of facilities with a common interface, which would contain guidance, including health and safety advice, on standard experiments.
On this matter, it simply stated: “Organisations such as the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Society of Biology, SCORE and the National STEM Centre provide details and guidance on practical experiments, including health and safety guidance, that can be used in the classroom and school science laboratories.”
It also backed away from the Committee’s suggestion that all trainee science teachers should be expected to prepare successfully and lead at least one fieldwork session themselves, and to take part in a field trip, before acquiring qualified teacher status. The content of initial teacher training courses is not something it should prescribe, the Government explained, adding that it will be the responsibility of individual providers to ensure that the content of their courses enables trainees to demonstrate that they meet new teachers’ standards.
Welcoming the Government response, IOSH head of policy and public affairs Richard Jones said: “We’re pleased the Government welcomes the finding that there’s no credible evidence health and safety legislation prevents science practicals, or field trips. Also, that they agree practical learning is essential to good science education.
“We think the proposal that the new teachers’ standards will include teachers demonstrating they provide well-structured lessons, including planning activities and trips to consolidate and extend acquired knowledge, is positive in this regard.”
However, he also issued a warning to the Government about the need to consult on simplifying health and safety requirements, so that efforts to streamline do not result in a lowering of standards.
The Government’s response can be viewed at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmsctech/1655/1655.pdf
