VIEWS & OPINION


It’s more challenging than ever to retain physics talent in schools but we must


never give up Comment by CHARLES TRACY, Head of Education, Institute of Physics


Physics teaching expertise is desperately hard to come by. A recent Education Policy Institute Report puts the proportion of physics teachers with a relevant degree at 50% - with only maths having lower. We need 1000 new physics teachers a year


to bring the system back to health. But with fewer than 600 new physics teachers in the last two years and applications 20% lower last year than in the previous year (UCAS), the situation is critical.


These recruitment challenges make it more imperative than ever that


we support those who choose to use their skills to inspire future generations. Why? Because teachers with expertise and experience within the discipline are more likely to have the confidence, enthusiasm and disciplinary knowledge that enables them to truly inspire students. Statistics show that unless we provide proactive programmes of


support to those teaching physics, many quickly abandon it. Currently, two fifths of physics graduates teaching six months after graduating leave the profession within 3.5 years, with physics NQTs 30% more likely to leave the profession than NQTs in non-science subjects (Institute for Fiscal Studies: The characteristics of and earnings and outcomes for physics teachers, March 2018).


The reasons for this attrition are complex but can largely be boiled


down to three challenges: • Many science teachers are expected to teach all three science subjects, resulting in less time teaching the subject they’re passionate about, reduced confidence from teaching subjects they feel less qualified in and significantly increased preparation requirements


• Physics teachers will often be the only physicist in their school so can feel isolated and over-burdened


• For physics graduates there is the constant lure of better pay, with their skills being some of the most sought after today To counteract these barriers, all those with an interest in promoting a


positive physics environment in schools need to play their part in making the lives of those teaching physics more realistic and rewarding. At the IOP we seek to support new physics teachers through over


40,000 annual hours of professional development delivered via a rich programme of no-cost CPD events that can be found at talkphysics.org/events. We also help teachers to build support networks that reduce the sense


of isolation and keep them connected with new ideas for teaching the subject they love. For instance our Future Physics Leaders project helps schools in DfE category 5 & 6 priority areas connect with others to discuss innovative ways of engaging more students with physics. The value of day-to-day support can’t be overlooked either. Our new


website – www.iop.org/spark is designed to help teachers bring their subject alive in the most time efficient way with 2000 free curriculum- linked resources, worksheets, and pre-tested teacher notes in a single destination. Interventions like this can and do work. Retention of early career


teachers supported through our Stimulating Physics Network was 10% above the control group after three years. This makes what we do at the IOP vital and a real privilege. Having


been a physics teacher I know just how challenging the role can be. But I also know it’s one of the most worthwhile roles there are. As the IOP launches its new strategy, we are committed to spreading


that message and encouraging more talented people to take up the challenge and seek the reward.


Driving the quality improvement agenda in


apprenticeships Comment by LOUISE DOYLE, director of Mesma


Analysis of Ofsted inspections for apprenticeship provision indicates we still have some way to go to ensure we are getting the basics right – regardless of the new inspection framework. An examination of the latest Ofsted full


inspection reports (April – August 2019) reveals several interesting themes. In summary, the profile for apprenticeships delivered by colleges reveals 8 out of 10 received a grade 3 or below. The same


applies for 17 of the 26 independent training providers or employer providers. Under the reports’ leadership section, we are seeing an ambitious


vision as a factor among those providers who are achieving good inspections - supported by leaders prepared to take decisive steps to facilitate change where needed. So far; so good. However, where leadership is struggling, we can see some common


threads: weak governance and external scrutiny having a recurring impact. We also see leaders who are slow to bring about improvement where there are lower grades and a lack of quality assurance, including inaccurate self-assessment, improvement planning and ineffective use of data. Poor sub-contractor management is clearly evident in those providers judged to be inadequate.


22 www.education-today.co.uk


Poor quality progress reviews, a lack of engagement between the


employer, the trainer and the trainee feature in the majority of college’s receiving grade three and four for apprenticeship delivery. It would be remiss of me not to mention the red flag of the moment;


not using information gathered at the learner's start point to inform the program in knowledge, skills and behaviours, and maths and English which is mentioned often. When it comes to quality of education, learners receiving good


teaching, learning and assessment and support to improve those areas where things are going well. Good assessment practice, targets and feedback are features of those higher-grade reports. However, issues around consistency still prevail. Weakness of


assessment practice, target setting and feedback feature year after year as issues we need to address to improve the quality of provision. The impact of poorly delivered English and Maths features frequently when the grades are lower which won’t be a surprise to any of us. Turning to HE institutions, our universities appear to be bucking the


trend that ITPs and FE colleges are experiencing in terms of grade profile. All but 1 of the 9 HEIs inspected were graded as ‘Good’. It is to be applauded that many university senior leaders have been able to clearly articulate the importance of apprenticeships to widening participation and strategic direction more generally. However, it’s not all sunshine and light because we are seeing some


elements of HE senior leadership also failing to have sufficient oversight of quality management. The Ofsted reports also remind us why providers should quality assure


their quality assurance systems to ensure they are doing the right things. It’s also clear that there are still some fundamental basics that can be improved to drive improvement across the spectrum. As Ofsted has itself said, this is not about dancing to the tune of a new framework. Let’s understand the new process of inspection but it doesn’t really change what a good apprenticeship looks like does it?


November 2019


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