The Ogden Trust

Subject Knowledge for Physics Teaching CPD: Sarah (tutor)

Sarah Grady teaches physics at Deanery CE High School in Wigan; she is also a tutor on our Subject Knowledge for Physics Teaching (SKPT) course – a fully funded blended learning CPD programme for teachers teaching KS3 and KS4 physics out of specialism. 

I absolutely love delivering SKPT. It’s a joy to have a group of teachers who want to embrace the subject and get stuck into the course. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to nurture our teachers of physics and I think the SKPT courses have an immense value.  

The face-to-face sessions allow teachers to have hands-on experience setting up and carrying out practicals in a safe environment; they can make their mistakes and discuss misconceptions before taking it back to the classroom. The past participants love the fact that the online platform stays open for them, so they can go back to the information just before they are teaching that topic for an information refresh.   

Personally, I think that SKPT shows teachers that physics isn’t scary! I try to make the course a ‘safe space’, where any questions/comments can be said with no judgement. It’s quite funny – at the beginning of the first session for a topic, the room is usually silent, and everyone looks terrified. The only people talking are the ones who are returning teachers coming back for another module. By the end of the first face-to-face day, the room is full of chat and laughter.  

SKPT participant gather after their Atomic Physics session.

Teachers respond to each other and share so much more than just physics. For lots of them, they are the only physics teacher in their school and have no one to bounce ideas around with. This course gives them the reassurance and confidence that they are doing things right. The face-to-face sessions allow teachers from a range of schools, with pupils from a range of backgrounds, to interact with each other and to share ideas and good practice. 

Participants gain so much subject knowledge from the course, but they also lose that ‘fear’ of physics. They begin to see physics as accessible to all and relevant to everyday life. I have seen participants go from being terrified at the prospect of teaching physics to really enjoying it! 

I have had one participant complete all six modules with me and I have seen her flourish. Her knowledge and confidence with her physics has astounded me. She was brilliant to have in the sessions as she was great at generating discussion and bringing her ideas to the groups. She has gone on to successfully apply for Ogden Trust early career mentoring, so hopefully she will be teaching A-level physics and running her own physics department in the near future! 

Sarah Grady
Deanery CE High School, Wigan
(September 2024)

Subject Knowledge for Physics Teaching CPD: Fiona

I have completed all six SKPT modules over the course of a year and I have now been employed as a physics teacher, primarily teaching GCSE physics. If I hadn’t done SKPT I would not have got the job.  

I trained originally in PE and was working in a secondary SEN department delivering science to small groups of students. I had specialised in biomechanics when I studied sports science – it had elements of applied physics, so I was keen to build that knowledge when I returned to teaching. 

SKPT has given me greater understanding of the physics content and greater depth to my teaching. It has helped me question what I do and why and has helped me tailor my teaching to the different levels and abilities of students.  

I loved the face-to-face days, getting to know the tutors, finding familiar faces across the modules, and exploring physics in a safe learning environment. These days were really helpful in running through the required practicals and other practical ideas, but it was also great to compare experiences of the different teaching backgrounds with others on the course, everyone had things they could add. 

Away from the in-person days, I liked that you could study at your own pace, with all the online information and many videos to support the learning. I have been able to use the STEM Learning library and resources at York and have got some really useful ideas for supporting SEN students.  

I would most definitely recommend SKPT and have done! It really helps you understand the different knowledge required for both KS3 and KS4 physics. It is great to meet people who genuinely want to help you, whatever level you are starting from. Ultimately, it helped me get a good job and can really help to develop your career.  

Fiona Whitehead
SKPT participant
(October 2024)