Thanks to Krysia Sosin, former Head of Science at Buxton School in London and now a trustee for Physics Partners, for this guest blog post on how she focused on developing her own department to transform physics teaching in her school.
Year after year our outcomes were improving but results for biology and chemistry continued to be ahead of physics. In a London comprehensive school, recruitment was tough for our science department and finding a physics specialist was near impossible. After several years of trying, I realised the key was not finding a new member of staff member but developing those I already had. Thankfully with a willing and enthusiastic team, they lapped up all the support I could find but still lacked confidence in physics, particularly in practical work and experiments.
Then I found Physics Partners. This was when things really started to change. Physics Partners delivered regular CPD in our school showing us what to do with our own equipment in our own labs. They worked with technicians as well as teaching staff so we could develop our practical work and help the students to enjoy physics as much as they already enjoyed biology and chemistry. The Physics Partners trainers were fun and engaging and really boosted the department. We looked forward to their sessions and we all gained so much confidence. Staff stopped looking as physics as something to ‘get through’ but could deliver it enthusiastically to Key Stage 4. I knew working with Physics Partners was effective when the number of students going on to study physics at college started to increase and our results improved across the three sciences at GCSE.If you’re struggling to find a physics specialist for your department or looking for support in developing your own team, I’d highly recommend getting in touch with Physics Partners to boost physics teaching in your school
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Looking for support in delivering physics at Key Stage 4? Don’t miss Physics Fuel: Power Boost, a series of free CPD films designed to help you explain common misconceptions and give practical advice for the classroom. Watch for free and share with colleagues.