Science experiments are being banished from many classrooms because of fears
of compensation claims, say scientists according to the Institute of Chemical Engineers. They say that many primary teachers feared being sued in the event of an accident or misunderstood health and safety guidelines. Clear guidelines to ensure pupil safety in the science lab were in place but primary teachers needed the right training to have the confidence to conduct experiments according to Dr David Brown. He says:
“In order to really engage kids with science we have to have some good
imaginative demonstrations whether that’s with things that go bang or
understanding aspects of how plants and animals behave. You can do a lot of good science with food and drink, for example.”
The institution which works with 100 primary
schools in the UK, has received reports of teachers being reluctant to demonstrate simple electrical circuits using low
voltage power sources and pupils “pond-dipping”.
