The importance of practicals in GCSEs

The 9-1 grading system is now used for all GCSEs. Exact requirements vay by examining board, but all Science GCSEs include an element of practical experimentation (and every exam to date has included a question where pupils need to explain the practical steps they would take for an experiment which they are expected to have already done as part of their course), and it’s a lot easier for those with hands-on experience in Maths and Computer Science to get good grades.

The problem is that may schools do not have the resources to teach these practical skills to their pupils as teachers in these ares are few and far between and because supply teachers often have to be used, there is no opportunity for the pre-planning and safety assessments that are required before practical lesssons can take place. So, many GCSE students enter their exams poorly prepared for the hands-on expectations they require.

STEM Kits By Post allows pupils to do these experiments at home, in their own time, in a fun way which can sometimes enthuse them enough about these fascinating subjects to consider a future career path they may not have otherwise considered.