Perceptions of Identity in Science Education (POISED): A study of some Secondary school students and teachers in England.

This paper is based on a study of the views about schooling, science education and science in their lives of some Year Ten (Y10) (15 year old) students and some of their teachers in two schools in the Midlands of England, one of which serves multicultural urban areas, and one of which serves a rural and largely mono-cultural area. It was carried out from 2010 -2011. Data was collected by online surveys and blogs from students and from students and teachers by face to face interviews. Early findings from students’ questionnaire responses suggest among other things that students think good teachers are centrally to their learning but they appreciate a relaxed and collaborative approach to work supported by a variety of resources and pedagogic methods. They recognise the positive impact of science on their lives and generally don’t perceive it as antithetical to their faith, where they have any.