Putting science into context

Summary In a scheme based on the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London University, undergraduates help teach science, mathematics and engineering in local schools. Over the last four years, replies to questionnaires from 2919 pupils and 272 student tutors, and 128 teacher‐responses, suggest that the principal benefits of the tutoring scheme are: pupils: 64 per cent find lessons easier to follow; tutors: 95 per cent get useful practice in communicating scientific ideas; teachers: 66 per cent find lessons more enjoyable with tutors present. The paper gives a qualitative description of the reaction of participants to the scheme.