Do we need national curriculum reform?

Last week, on behalf of Replacing Animal Research, I completed a response to an evidence call by the UK Government for a Curriculum and Assessment Review covering Key Stages 1 to 5. The review aims to ensure meaningful, rigorous, and high-value pathways for all students but I focused my responses on students aged 16-19, as that’s where my teaching experience lies. The review aims to look at challenges to student attainment and help ensure a diverse, inclusive curriculum for the future.  

This was a great opportunity to share our ideas on how some simple changes to the current curriculum could make a huge difference. 

What happens in the classroom?

The last updates to the National Curriculum were introduced in 2014, whilst I was still teaching Science at KS4.  

The content of science lessons is normally directed by a Scheme of Work and the exam board subject Specification based on the requirements of the National Curriculum.  

At KS4 there is not much room, or time, to manoeuvre around the specification. However, science is such a broad and interesting subject area, and teachers often integrate their experience, real-life examples, or related news stories that help interest or engage students in the topic. As a teacher, I rarely questioned areas of the curriculum I had little experience of. I trusted the curriculum to be up-to-date, relevant, and correct. 

Alternatives to animals in GCSE Science

Following the current GCSE Science and Biology curriculums I have previously taught: 

• How animal research formed part of the process to develop new medicines. 

• About a process that requires the use of mice to create monoclonal antibodies for use in diagnosis, treatments, and pregnancy tests. 

• The scientific techniques for creating genetically altered crops and animals. 

Whilst non-animal methods are mentioned in the formation of new medicines, there was no requirement to mention alternative methods of creating monoclonal antibodies without animals or the ethical issues around creating genetically modified animals.  

In 2020 the EU Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing, the leading facility in Europe for coordinating validation studies on alternatives to animal testing, produced a report recommending that ‘animals should no longer be used for the development and production of antibodies for research, regulatory, diagnostic and therapeutic application’. We have to be concerned then that the only method being taught today is a method which requires mice.  

Genetic manipulation uses clever and interesting science, with applications that are way out of my comfort zone of understanding. During my time at Replacing Animal Research, I have learnt more about the ethical issues around this technology, such as the potential for unplanned suffering due to ‘off-target effects’ (changes to the organism’s DNA that were not intended and may cause suffering to the animal) and the sheer numbers of animals that may be used in this process. We also review the annual statistics of scientific procedures on animals and I was surprised that 45% of all scientific procedures on animals today are purely for the creation and breeding of genetically altered animals, before they are even used in experiments. 

Updating the Science Curriculum

The curriculum needs to be updated to reflect modern science. As an organisation looking to equip the next generation of scientists with the knowledge and skills to challenge animal use and actively search for alternatives, we have to make sure the messages are scientifically correct and reflect the real world. We live in a country where the replacement of animal use in research and testing is widely supported. It is also a priority in existing legislation and Government strategy. It is therefore unacceptable and ethically immoral to be teaching young people that animal research is the norm where this is inaccurate and alternative non-animal approaches exist.

Let’s do better.