IoP Physics Network

1
IoP Physics Network

• London Coordinator Peter Campbell MInstP,
  FInstP
• National Physical Laboratory
• 3 July 2006

2
Network aims

• Bring together specialist teachers of
• physics meetings, workshops, e-mail
• Support non-specialists teaching physics
• at KS3 KS4. Can you help?

3
Physics a gateway

• Physics all around us a way of seeing
• For what careers is a physics qualification
• essential?
• useful?
• Research shows
• Decline in attitudes towards Physics starts in
  KS3, and pupils decide not to continue with the
  subject.
• Implication
• Physics needs to be taught well through all
  stages from 11-19 (appropriate content, teaching
  approaches that engage learners)

4
A worrying trend
5
Budget speech March 2006

• The Science and Innovation Investment Framework
  2004-14 Next Steps
• Government ambitions
• year on year increases in the number of young
  people taking A levels in physics, chemistry and
  mathematics 35,000 A-level physics
  entries by 2014 (currently 24,200)
• continually improve the number of pupils getting
  at least level 6 at the end of Key Stage 3 (11-14
  year olds)
• continually improve the number of pupils
  achieving A-B and A-C grades in two science
  GCSEs
• step up recruitment, retraining and retention of
  physics, chemistry and mathematics specialist
  teachers. by 2014 25 of
  science teachers with a physics specialism
  95 of school mathematics lessons taught by
  a mathematics specialist (currently 88).

6
New KS4 Programme of Study

• just 2 sides of A4 owned by Parliament
• How science works
• Data, evidence, theories explanations
• Practical and enquiry skills
• Communication skills
• Applications implications of science
• Breadth of study (physics)
• Energy transfers, efficiency, effects of energy
  use
• Electrical power
• Radiation transfers energy, can be used for
  communication

7
New suites of GCSE courses
GCSE AQA EDEXCEL OCR (2 suites) WJEC
Science
Additional Sci
Add Applied Sci
Bio/Chem/Phys
Applied Sci (Dble) BTEC First
Entry
Other
8
AS/A2 Subject criteria response outcome

• 1200 people organisations responded during the
  consultation period March-April 2006
• Recommended outcomes
• All sciences 6 Units of Assessment
• Physics Appropriate content AS/A2
• Include nature of science, data, interpretation
• AEA approach should only be considered where it
  does not already exist (synoptic Qs)
• Further work to ensure that Physics specs include
  contemporary content
• Next steps
• QCA publishes new subject criteria August 2006?
• Science subject conferences at NSLC, October 2006
• Awarding Bodies revise specs, etc

9
QCA Review of KS3 for 2008

• Aims
• reduce prescription increase flexibility
• (move away from a "shopping list of facts)
• ensure transition from key stage 2 and onto key
  stage 4
• advise on how to improve assessment in the
  foundation subjects
• Formal consultation period
• January May 2007

10
In outline

• Key concepts key processes (aka How science
  works)
• Curriculum development criteria (aka content)
• energy can be transferred, usefully stored, or
  wasted, but cannot be created or destroyed
• forces are interactions between objects and can
  affect their motion
• electricity in circuits can produce a variety of
  effects
• astronomy and space science provide insight into
  the observed motions of the Sun, Moon, stars and
  planets
• The particle model provides explanations for the
  different physical properties and behaviour of
  matter
• Further supplementary material will 'unpack'
  these statements.
• More information at www.qca.org.uk/11750_16028.htm
  l

11
Teaching resources

• IoP website
• Practical work www.practicalphysics.org
• Please review experiments, submit experiments
• Teaching Advanced Physics
• Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme
• Register as an associate exclusive access to
  online materials and receive free copies of
  selected hard-copy resources and the SEP
  newsletter www.sep.org.uk

12
Science on StageGrenoble 2 6 April 2007

• Do you have new teaching ideas to share?
• More information about the event, and an
  application form www.scienceonstage2.co.uk
• National Coordinator
• Alison.Alexander_at_iop.org

13
London information network

• Newsletter posted termly to schools colleges
• Online newsletter, London events
• Please contribute items
• forthcoming events in which other teachers of
  physics might participate.
• information about an event youve attended.
• details of useful teaching resources.
• an account of a classroom activity.
• pcampbell_at_nuffieldfoundation.org