Exam board brings creationism into science class



It follows heated debates in the US, where a judge in Pennsylvania ruled that intelligent design should not be taught in schools because it was a religious idea with no scientific basis.

In England, the change is taking place alongside the promotion of faith schools and anxieties about the teaching of creationist views in Emmanuel school, Gateshead, an academy sponsored by the Christian millionaire Sir Peter Vardy.




The new OCR biology syllabus for GCSE says pupils should be able to "explain that the fossil record has been interpreted differently over time (eg creationist interpretation)".

The chairman of the Creation Science Movement, David Rosevear, told the Times Educational Supplement: "There is nothing wrong with presenting a different point of view to promote debate. It does not mean a student is going to say 'I believe in Genesis chapter one' any more than they are going to say evolution is fact."

But the science course leader at Sussex University's school of education, James Williams, said: "This is not science, it is not recognised by the scientific community and to legitimise it like this is wrong."

The Department for Education and Skills issued a statement saying: "Neither creationism nor intelligent design are taught as part of the science curriculum and are not specified in the science curriculum.

"The emphasis in the science curriculum on scientific inquiry means that pupils are encouraged to explore different views, theories and beliefs. Therefore, although creationism and intelligent design are not part of the National Curriculum and not specified in the science curriculum, it could come up in this context."

A spokeswoman added: "Creationism is taught in RE lessons and is one of the many religious views on how the world was created. Schemes of work for RE offer guidance to teachers wishing to address creationism as one of a number of possible other views."

There is no doubt that Darwin still rules the biology syllabus. OCR, for instance, requires teachers to describe examples of change by natural selection occurring today, such as bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics, as well as the fossil record.

But teachers will now be drawn more into debates about evolution with the requirement "explain the reasons why the theory of evolution by natural selection met with an initially hostile response (social and historical context)".