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Classroom Physics June 2014 Edition

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Classroom Physics June 2014 Edition ClassroomThe newsletter for affiliated schools physicsJune 2014 Issue 29 Teacher support IOP successfully wins extension to Stimulating Physics Network support The Institute, in partnership with Myscience, IOP has been awarded a new contract by the Department for Education to run the Stimulating Physics Network (SPN) until March 2016. The SPN is an important national programme supporting the teaching and learning of physics in schools across England; this contract ensures that the SPN free, open CPD workshops for teachers in will continue operating for at least another the SLP’s associated schools and the local two years, which is an endorsement of the area. These activities will complement and success and impact that has been achieved support the SLP and its wider objectives, by the programme to date. and will form a national programme of physics CPD that is available to all teachers Celebrating success in England. Since 2012, the Institute’s SPN has facilitated more than 80,000 teacher hours Expansion to counter stereotyping of physics CPD and more than 60,000 Over the next two years, the SPN will pupils have experienced SPN engagement also be running a new pilot project called activities. The SPN is based around a team of Improving Gender Balance (IGB). A team 35 teaching and learning coaches (TLCs) who of specialist project officers will work are all highly experienced and successful intensively with 20 schools for two years, to physics teachers; each TLC providing support identify and resolve the issues surrounding to 12 SPN Partner Schools. the disproportionately low number of The aim of the SPN is to improve pupils’ A teacher attending a “Fun is Physics” session at girls studying A-level physics, including experience of physics at Key Stage 3 and a Stimulating Physics Network Summer School girls’ confidence and resilience, teachers’ 4, as measured by an increase in the (four-day residential CPD courses held at Oxford, classroom practice, and whole-school number of pupils choosing to study A-level Cambridge and York each year). issues of gender stereotyping. physics, particularly girls. We work with schools where these progression rates are in the average number progressing from For more information: including how historically low, or non-existent; typically, SPN Partner Schools, compared with a 12% to become an SPN Partner School, visit these are also schools with high indices of increase from other schools. www.stimulatingphysics.org or contact pupil deprivation. David Cameron (e-mail david.cameron@ From a lower base, the number of pupils What next? iop.org). To find out more about the IGB progressing to AS-level physics from SPN In the next phase of the programme, the project, contact Clare Thomson (e-mail Partner Schools over the last two years SPN will be forging links with the new [email protected]). has increased faster than in other eligible Science Learning Partnerships (SLPs), You can follow the project on Twitter secondary schools; the impact among girls which are managed by Myscience. TLCs @TakeOnPhysics and on Pinterest at is particularly striking, with a 25% increase will be linked to local SLPs and will offer http://pinterest.com/teachphysics. The latest physics education news, resources and classroom ideas — from the IOP education team In this issue National Curriculum 3 Teacher events 4 Teaching tip 8 Update on the new energy Sign up to a UK-based Demonstration that content of the National astronaut training event for explores centripetal force. Curriculum. physics teachers. Classroomphysics l June 2014 1 News Editorial Resource supportingphysicsteaching.net launched The Institute’s Supporting Physics Teaching IOP (SPT) material is designed to support all teachers of physics who want to develop their subject knowledge; particularly those who are new to teaching. Welcome to the summer edition of the The online version of the resource has newsletter. The education team here at recently undergone a major redevelopment the Institute is going from strength to to enable teachers easier web access strength. Our recent award of £4.3 m and can now be accessed via ht t p:// from the government to build on the supportingphysicsteaching.net. successes of the Stimulating Physics This version of the material is now housed Network (p1) is fantastic news. We on a UK server to minimise any problems have also received further funding encountered through accessing the resource from the Drayson Foundation to run a via school/college networks. It is also parallel project to the IGB work, and fully tablet compliant, making the user the Capital Physics project that will experience much friendlier on these devices. Every topic can be explored in three ways: focus on supporting A-level teaching in The navigation is cleaner, all of the physics narrative, teaching and learning issues, London (p3). interactive elements will now run full and teaching approaches. The Institute continues to work in screen and the various diagrams are in a partnership with other organisations that format that makes exploring the resource interest to any teachers who support primary support the work of teachers, including more straightforward. The content has colleagues. the engineering professional bodies who also evolved to ensure that the material There are significant enhancements have recently published new resources continues to build on the best available for those who use and guide early-career giving career advice in the area of evidence in physics pedagogy. Each topic teachers to the resource. Teacher trainers engineering (p5). Copies of these will continues to be linked to and supported will find links to user guides for different have been sent to affiliated schools. from within talkphysics.org (enabling scenarios in the SPT supporter’s group on Inspired by experiments featured teachers to give feedback on the material). talkphysics.org. on the ever-useful Practical Physics There is also now a suite of primary topics website (www.practicalphysics.org) this available. This is still under development For more information: and newsletter’s teaching tip focuses on and again aimed at the development of to access the resource visit using the context of astronaut training subject knowledge. It will be of particular http://supportingphysicsteaching.net. to explore the topic of centripetal force (p8). Combined with the newly Teacher training created Supporting Physics Teaching website (supportingphysicsteaching. Help out the next generation of teachers net), these two websites form a useful IOP suite of online resources for NQTs or It is essential when thinking about teacher early-career teachers of physics who training to spend time observing teaching need additional support in developing in a classroom. It can be difficult to find their lessons. schools that are able to facilitate this. With The Institute will be moving to a the known shortage of physics teachers new system of electronic invoicing for we want to help potential trainees gain this affiliation payments. This is due to come experience, allowing them to confirm in online by September. All renewal notice their own mind that teaching is for them, invoices will be automatically e-mailed while highlighting their commitment and to the named contact on the school’s understanding of the profession. record instead of being sent by post. To support potential physics teachers A letter giving further details of this through this process, we have used our change has been sent out to all affiliated links with teachers and schools across schools with this newsletter. If you think the UK to develop the School Experience your e-mail has changed since your last Programme. With more than 650 registered renewal please e-mail [email protected] schools nationwide, the programme Can you offer a potential teacher a chance to with your details so that you receive your involves matching a prospective teacher to kick-start their career in physics teaching? renewal notices on time. a local school to gain the necessary school Wishing you a wonderful summer. observation experience. prospective teacher to visit. We are currently looking for more schools For people who have struggled to arrange Clare Thomson, editor (tel 020 7470 to help out. There is no commitment at school experience, this programme has 4981, e-mail [email protected]) this stage; if you’re happy to help we would been a lifeline to help them enter the simply add you to the database and let you teaching profession. Manchi Chung, assistant editor know when we pass on your details. If at any (e-mail [email protected]) time you are unable to commit to a visit, not For more information: and registration to worry – we’ll find another school for the visit www.iop.org/sepschools. 2 Classroomphysics l June 2014 News Teacher support London schools needed for new IOP project The Institute has been awarded a Advocate Schools and 60 Partner Schools. substantial grant from the London Schools The London Schools Excellence Fund Excellence Fund to support the teaching of has been set up by the Mayor of London A-level physics in London schools over the and the Department for Education with next 18 months. an aim to drive up standards in London The Capital Physics project aims to schools, by investing in teachers and improve student attainment in A-level teaching, and supporting the establishment physics and support the establishment of of school-to-school activity to raise pupil more A-level physics courses in schools. It achievement in priority
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