Study reveals physics teacher shortage
The number of people applying to be physics teachers has fallen, report claims
Also In The News
|
Andy Murray produced a remarkable comeback from two sets down to beat number eight seed Richard Gasquet – as well as the failing light – and book a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals. |  |
Tuesday, 01, Jul 2008 10:15
Applications to train as a physics teacher have fallen by more than a quarter (27 per cent) since 2005, a new report has warned.
The study from researchers at the University of Buckingham places doubt over whether the target for a quarter of school science teachers to be physics specialists by 2014 will be met.
During 2005-06, 26 per cent more physics teachers left than were replaced by physics specialists.
And while in 1983 physicists comprised 30 per cent of science teacher trainees, by 2007 the proportion had fallen to just 12 per cent.
The report is based on a re-analysis of national statistics and four specially conducted surveys of admissions tutors, teacher trainees, deployment across schools and leavers.
Its figures conflict with the most recent censuses of the Training and Development Agency for Schools, which show substantial increases in physics teacher trainees.
The report makes five recommendations for improving physics teacher supply and three technical recommendations to straighten the numbers out.
These include allowing teacher training to be more flexible, for example by allowing physics PGCEs and physics and maths PGCEs, and to make physics teaching more attractive by encouraging more specialist teaching in the science curriculum.
Researcher Dr Pamela Robinson commented: "It is difficult to be sure of the current state of teacher supply because the government's target is hard to pin down and there is wide divergence in the statistics of the different agencies."