The Society’s Scientific Research in Schools Committee

In 1957 Council appointed an ad hoc committee under the Chairmanship of Sir Thomas Merton to consider whether the Royal Society might take any useful action to improve and extend the teaching of science in schools. One of its conclusions indicated that a difficulty in the recruitment of science teaching staff was the lack of facilities for research. A joint committee was therefore established in July 1957 with representatives of the Royal Society and the (then) Science Masters’ Association, to consider the problems of science masters who wished to pursue research and to arrange provision of advice in response to particular requests. The terms of reference were deliberately framed to give the widest scope and can be summed up as ‘To assist school science teachers who wish to pursue research’. In setting up this committee the Council of the Royal Society was of the opinion that the teaching of science in schools may be improved if those teaching science were enabled to carry out some kind of research at school in such a way that senior pupils may be able to take an interest in any research being pursued at their schools. On the inception of the scheme some 1383 schools in the British Isles were advised and publicity given in various appropriate journals; many replies were received warmly welcoming the formation of this new committee.