Equal opportunities policy - gender 1. The Department recognises that although Chemistry is a core subject for all up to the age of sixteen, it is still perceived by some students and their families to be a 'male' subject. We do not accept this view as is shown by the way we portray our subject. 2. This Department aims to provide equal opportunities for students within a broad, balanced Chemistry education, which does not discriminate against them because of gender. We hope our scheme of work and its implementation:- i. reflects the interests of both boys and girls. ii. by celebrating the achievements and careers of famous male and female scientists. iii. Encourages boys and girls to view their contributions as having equal value. iv. values equally the experiences of both girls and boys. v. is set in a familiar context to which all students can relate. vi. shows that the teacher can by careful use of language avoid reinforcing stereotypical views of society. 3. Research has shown that girls in particular are less interested in Chemistry if they perceive it as being about ' things' rather than about people. Therefore we must :- i. Emphasise that Chemistry is a activity which relates to peoples lives. ii. Provide opportunities to use a more personal, expressive language, in work such as projects, reports and posters and of course classroom discussion. iii. Provide opportunities to discuss and explore opinions which relate to Chemistry-related social issues. iv. We should demonstrate the importance of Chemistry education for everyone, showing the importance of Chemistry in a wide range of careers and everyday life e.g. healthy living, environment, communication/I.T. skills and wise consumer choice. 4. Recent research has shown that both genders experience increased levels of motivation and interest if Chemistry is delivered through the medium of I.T. The increase is more marked in boys who attain lower levels of achievement, as a whole, than do the girls. Equal opportunities policy - multicultural education 1. We operate within the whole-school multicultural policy, ensuring that the Chemistry department reflects this policy as closely as possible. 2. We use all appropriate opportunities to challenge prejudice as it arises and a consistent approach to dealing with racist incidents.
Equal opportunities policy - gender 1. The Department recognises that although Chemistry is a core subject for all up to the age of sixteen, it is still perceived by some students and their families to be a 'male' subject. We do not accept this view as is shown by the way we portray our subject. 2. This Department aims to provide equal opportunities for students within a broad, balanced Chemistry education, which does not discriminate against them because of gender. We hope our scheme of work and its implementation:- i. reflects the interests of both boys and girls. ii. by celebrating the achievements and careers of famous male and female scientists. iii. Encourages boys and girls to view their contributions as having equal value. iv. values equally the experiences of both girls and boys. v. is set in a familiar context to which all students can relate. vi. shows that the teacher can by careful use of language avoid reinforcing stereotypical views of society. 3. Research has shown that girls in particular are less interested in Chemistry if they perceive it as being about ' things' rather than about people. Therefore we must :- i. Emphasise that Chemistry is a activity which relates to peoples lives. ii. Provide opportunities to use a more personal, expressive language, in work such as projects, reports and posters and of course classroom discussion. iii. Provide opportunities to discuss and explore opinions which relate to Chemistry-related social issues. iv. We should demonstrate the importance of Chemistry education for everyone, showing the importance of Chemistry in a wide range of careers and everyday life e.g. healthy living, environment, communication/I.T. skills and wise consumer choice. 4. Recent research has shown that both genders experience increased levels of motivation and interest if Chemistry is delivered through the medium of I.T. The increase is more marked in boys who attain lower levels of achievement, as a whole, than do the girls. Equal opportunities policy - multicultural education 1. We operate within the whole-school multicultural policy, ensuring that the Chemistry department reflects this policy as closely as possible. 2. We use all appropriate opportunities to challenge prejudice as it arises and a consistent approach to dealing with racist incidents.