Science Teaching Survey annual comparisons
The Royal Society of Chemistry has been running its annual Science Teaching Survey since 2022.
Download the 2026 dataset Explore the 2026 survey results
For the last five years we have been gathering insights into science education in the UK and Republic of Ireland through our Science Teaching Survey. Several questions have been posed annually to allow us to monitor trends in key areas including understaffing, teacher confidence and job satisfaction.
The data shown on this page is from all schools surveyed unless specified as being from state funded schools. This terminology is used to represent state funded secondary schools only. Our definition of state funded secondary schools includes local authority, community, foundation or ETB; academy (standalone); academy (in a multi-academy trust); grammar school/state selective school (any type of state school with selective admissions).
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For further information or to ask any questions please email our education team.
Contact our education team
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The Science Teaching Survey 2026 Dataset
Explore in more detail with our dataset that is available as a PDF download.
Download the 2026 dataset
Staffing
Please describe the staffing at your school or college in each of the following areas. By understaffed, we mean that you do not feel that the current provision is sufficient for your school.
Retention
How long do you intend to stay at your current school (up to the end of the current year)?
What are you planning to do after leaving your current school? If you have more than one plan, please select the one that is most likely.
Job satisfaction
On a scale of 0 to 10, where '0' is not satisfied at all and '10' is completely satisfied, how satisfied are you with your job as a teacher?
On a scale of 0 to 10, where '0' is not satisfied at all and '10' is completely satisfied, how satisfied are you with your job as a technician?
Teacher and technician well-being
The next question is about your mental well-being and will help us to better understand the well-being of teachers working in education.
The next question is about your mental well-being and will help us to better understand the well-being of technicians working in education.
Confidence
For each of the key stages that you teach, how confident are you in teaching biology, chemistry and/or physics subject content to these key stages? If you don't teach the particular subject content to a key stage select 'Do not teach'.
For each of the key stages, how confident are you in supporting biology, chemistry and/or physics? If you don't support the particular subject content at a key stage, select 'Do not support'.
Professional development/learning
Thinking again about the last 12 months, was the amount of time that you undertook subject-specific professional development for each subject...?
Challenges for classroom teaching
Which of the following present challenges to your classroom teaching in science? Please tick all that apply.
Detrimental effects on student learning
In your own teaching experience, which (if any) of these factors have had a detrimental effect on student learning outcomes in the last year? Please select all that apply.
Barriers to practical work
What are the barriers you face to running practical work in your school? Please select all that apply.
Frequency of practical work
Thinking about the last 12 months, with each of your [ ] classes, how often did you generally do hands-on practical work in science lessons?
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Have you ever used AI within your role?
The Science Teaching Survey 2026 Dataset
Explore in more detail with our dataset that is available as a PDF download.
Download the 2026 dataset
Survey results from previous years
The Science Teaching Survey 2026
Teachers and science technicians from across the UK and Ireland share their insights into the state of 11–18 science education.
The Science Teaching Survey 2025
Our findings reveal that greater support is needed for our science educators.
The Science Teaching Survey 2024
Revealing the insights and challenges of secondary teachers and technicians in the UK and Ireland.
The Science Teaching Survey 2023
Revealing the insights, challenges and ideas of secondary teachers and technicians in the UK and Ireland.
The Science Teaching Survey 2022
In 2022 we launched The Science Teaching Survey to understand more about the experiences and attitudes of science teachers and technicians.
For further information or to ask any questions please email our education team.
Contact our education team
For all enquiries about collaborating with us and more information on how we can support you.