The chemicals cost crisis

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As prices rise fast, some schools reluctantly cut back on practical work

The rising prices of chemicals and consumables is forcing some schools to cut back on practical work. Technicians are spending their valuable time and energy investigating ever more creative ways to keep costs down, and students have fewer opportunities to learn experimental skills as teachers turn to demonstrations and videos. In this article, heads of department, teachers and technicians from state and independent schools share their money-saving measures.

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