Nearly 50 per cent of teachers are not confident about safety in science labs

The study conducted by education interior specialist, Innova Design Solutions, found that 49.5 per cent of teaching professionals are not confident about pupil safety in science lessons.

The survey also found that 63 per cent of respondents view science labs as low tech, with 11 per cent saying their facilities are very low tech.

What’s more, 85 per cent of respondents stated that their facilities don’t bring out the best in themselves or pupils.
 
With 69 per cent of respondents reporting that facilities had been recently refurbished – the results raise concerns.
 
Melanie Laing, director of Innova Design Solutions, says: “In the same way that STEM policy cannot be successful without sufficient funding, the next generation of scientists cannot be trained in unsuitable and uninspiring laboratories. As such, we need to free up spending, maximise use of budget and get it right first time in order to attract and retain quality science teachers that can equip the next generation of scientists with skills to keep the UK at the leading edge of international development.
 
“To deliver excellence, facilities should incorporate technology, be designed to inspire and should use shortened lines of communication that help to improve concentration and subsequently attainment.”
 
Innova’s study also found that 39 per cent of teaching professionals think science labs are badly laid out for individual, group, practical and theory lessons meaning they lack versatility.