MOVES to halt the decline in the study of physics appear to have failed and may even have made matters worse.

The number of entries for physics at A level has fallen since combined sciences was made compulsory at GCSE in 1988. Today, only pupils at independent schools can take a single science subject. At leading state schools pupils can take three subjects separately; but most teenagers take the combined science course.

The change was intended to improve scientific literacy, give a better platform for A- level and redress the gender imbalance between the study of physics and biology. But the number of A-level entries in physics has fallen by a third — most often “in those schools that do not offer GCSE physics”, Alan Smithers and Pamela Robinson, of the University of Buckingham, write in a report published today. About 4 per cent of 16-year-olds took A-level physics in 2004 compared with 6 per cent in 1990. The decline has affected all types of school, but independents and grammars less so.

One in four universities that previously had a significant number of undergraduates studying physics has stopped teaching it since 1994.

“Physics is in the grip of a long-term downward spiral,” Professor Smithers said. “Not enough people come through to take physics degrees, which means that the pool from which to recruit teachers is not large enough and science teaching is left to biologists to a greater extent than is desirable.”

Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society, said: “Teachers who are both enthused and knowledgeable about their subjects are key to breaking the cycle of decline.”

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