Benchmarks for Secondary Schools

This document, published by SCORE, provides guidance to schools and colleges on the resourcing expectations of practical work in the sciences, to ensure all students receive a well-rounded science education.

It provides a comprehensive list of the levels of resourcing that SCORE considers necessary to carry out effective practical work in science. Recommendations are given for equipment and consumables, laboratory and prep room facilities, technician staffing and opportunities to learn outside the classroom.  

The intended uses of these benchmarks are as follows:

1. preparation of departmental spending plans and development plans;
2. planning for a rolling programme of resource replacement;
3. reviewing equipment stocks and identifying deficiencies;
4. reviewing levels of technician staffing and identifying deficiencies;
5. reviewing access to outdoor space for science teaching and identifying deficiencies;
6. equipping new laboratories, refurbishing existing ones and dealing with the aftermath of disasters such as fire, flood, etc.;
7. forecasting future needs and costing new courses.