Schools’ Stem diversity problem needs systemic solution, say MPs

Children and young people from black Caribbean backgrounds are “acutely” underrepresented in the study of maths, science and technology in England at all levels of education, according to a report by MPs.

Fewer black Caribbean students studied triple science than students of any other background, the report said. It also highlighted the lack of diversity in the teaching workforce, pointing out that an additional 15,655 black teachers would be needed in order to bring teacher diversity in line with that of pupils.

The report by the Commons science and technology committee also looked at female underrepresentation in Stem subjects – science, technology, engineering and maths. Young women still make up only 13% of computing A-level students in England and 23% of physics.

It suggested the national curriculum in England should be updated to reflect greater diversity. It also called on Ofsted to report on the disparities in subject take-up and attainment across gender, ethnic and socioeconomic background as part of its inspection criteria.

The MPs’ report raised concerns about the lack of triple science GCSE provision – where pupils study three standalone GCSEs – in disadvantaged areas of England, where schools are less likely to have subject specialist teachers.

It highlighted evidence given to the committee about diversity in Stem research that according to 2018-19 figures there was just one black male UK postdoctoral researcher in physics, “which should be rounded down to zero”, it says, adding: “A wider definition of postdoctoral researcher could increase this to a handful at most.”

MPs said the bursaries currently on offer by the Department for Education were not “anywhere near sufficient” to address the crisis in recruitment for physics and computer science teachers. One witness told MPs “even if we recruited two-thirds of everyone doing a physics degree into teaching, we would only just hit the target”.

For teacher trainees in 2023, the government is offering bursaries worth up to £27,000 and scholarships worth up to £29,000 in subjects such as chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics to try to boost recruitment.

The committee chair, Greg Clark, said despite many well-intentioned efforts from government, research funders, universities and civil society over the years, Stem still had a diversity problem.