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1 Introduction
Concerns about managing pupil behaviour are often at the
top of a trainee’s agenda when they start their course. The
Qualifying to Teach Standards also give prominence to these
issues in a number of their statements. For example:
- S1.1High expectations, respect and commitment
- S1.2Consideration for pupils
- S1.3Promoting positive values
- S2.7Promoting good behaviour
- S3.3.1High expectations
- S3.3.8 Using resources safely
- S3.3.9Managing behaviour
The scope of the Standard and the ways in which the
trainees may generate evidence is further developed in the
Handbook of Guidance available from www.tta.gov.uk/php.
Within this section it is not proposed to discuss issues
concerned with general behaviour management as this is dealt
with effectively elsewhere for example http://www.behaviour4learning.ac.uk.
Instead it is intended to focus on one area of ‘classroom’
management that has a specific resonance for science that of
safety management. This carries with it an added concern for
trainees and may well stop them from fully engaging with
certain aspects of the scientific experience.
Ofsted, writing in An employment based Route into
Teaching -an overview of the first year of inspection of
Designated Recommended Bodies for the GTP 2003/4, noted
that ‘in science, health and safety in lessons was not given
sufficient consideration’ This is a somewhat worrying
statement.
2
Sources of Information
There are several very useful organisations from whom
information can be gathered.
The CLEAPSS
(Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision
of Science Services ) are a good starting point. Their
leaflet L238, Health and Safety Induction and
Training of Science Teachers, published in April 2004 is
aimed at all middle and secondary schools (see Download 2.1).
In addition to this publication CLEAPSS have a range of
other resources detailed on the CLEAPSS Science Publications
CD-ROM. There is a very good search facility on the CD
The Laboratory Handbook is one such publication, most
schools will have this as a paper copy.
CLEAPPS produce Hazcards (also on CD) and for technicians,
Recipe Cards. Trainees should be made aware of these and their
relationship to risk assessments.
In terms of other publications CLEAPSS recommend copying
PS21 and PS47 to all trainee teachers.
The Association for Science Education (ASE) also produce a
range of publications on the topic of laboratory safety. For
trainees, probably the most important is Safeguards in the
School Laboratory (10th edition 1996, but the 11th edition is
currently in preparation, probably published 2006). They need
to read this more or less cover to cover.
It would be very useful to have available reference copies
of Topics in Safety (3rd edition), Safety Reprints (2000 or
later).
The book Safe and Exciting Science: An INSET Pack has a
range of materials, some of which would be suitable for use on
initial training course
The ASE has a Laboratory Safeguards Committee which is a
source of help and advice. Aspects of this service are
available from the members section of the ASE website
including: safety advice from past issues of Education in
Science and School Science Review and articles taken from
Safety in Science Education (DfES, 1996).
The publications mentioned above have safety as their
focus, but a number of other more general texts also have
sections that are relevant (see Download 2.2).
3
What Should an ITT Course Cover
An initial teacher training course should:
- Raise awareness of safety issues
- Explain the nature of safety legislation and the
trainee’s responsibilities in terms of this
legislation
- Consider Risk Assessments as a process and as an
outcome
The primary piece of legislation governing safety in
science lessons is the Control of Substances Hazardous to
Health (COSHH)
Regulations (1994). Fundamentally, trainees need to understand
the process of risk assessment and how they record their
deliberations - evidence that they have carried out a risk
assessment in their lesson planning.
The question then arises as to how these areas can be
addressed within an ITT course. An example is available as
Download 3.
Downloads in this document:
This section authored by:
Neil Herrington, University of East London
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