Iain

Experienced GCSE & A-level Physics Tutor, EPQ supervisor and PGCE/NQT mentor

Science has always been a subject that captured my imagination, inspiring childhood ambitions of being a fighter pilot and astronaut, which lead me ultimately to university, where I studied the mysteries of the microscopic and macroscopic universe of Physics, ranging from the bizarre nature of quantum mechanics to the majesty and wonder of astrophysics. Over the last eleven years, I have been lucky enough to rekindle my love of the subject by teaching a new generation of pilots, engineers and (possibly) astronauts GCSE and A-Level Physics, opening their eyes to the strange beauty of nature`s laws.

I have been teaching Science at Key Stage 3 and 4, plus A-Level Physics, since 2009 and have developed an easily-accessible, fun and frequently irreverent style of teaching Science and Physics, primarily based on using real-world analogies to further understanding of key concepts and ideas, showing how what is required by the curriculum also has an important real-world relevance to everyday life.

I also aim to demystify Science (particularly Physics) and show that the preconception that it is a "hard" subject is demonstrably untrue, provided that you can grasp a relatively small number of key skills and concepts: most notably that the equations used to describe phenomena in Physics should actually improve your understanding of the subject, rather than impose a barrier, when you learn how to "talk" to the equations. I believe that Physics is an exciting, endlessly fascinating subject that will become increasingly valuable for the next generation of workers, who will need not just to be creative, but also scientifically literate, with good problem-solving and analytical skills.

After each lesson the student will have a "takeaway artefact" - a virtual whiteboard or poster, documenting and summarising the learning from the session, and I have developed other tools, such as specification audits, to help students self-assess their areas of need, where extra revision time and support can be prioritised. I am familiar with the specifications of the following English exam boards:

GCSE - AQA, Edexcel
A-level - AQA, Edexcel, OCR-A

I have also been actively involved with the training and support of Newly Qualified Teachers and trainee (SCITT/PGCE) teachers throughout my career, and can offer guidance in areas including subject knowledge, lesson planning, assessment strategies, behaviour management & health and safety awareness for practical work.

Prior to teaching, I worked as an IT Specialist with IBM UK for over 9 years and I am an enthusiastic advocate for the teaching of digital skills for all ages. In 2016 I became a Raspberry Pi Certified Educator and I was one of the first 100 people to be awarded the certification in the UK.

Willing to travel: 10 miles

Experience: Specialist Physics tutor and PGCE/NQT mentor, formerly Head of Science & Computing at a special school embedded in a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit for 12-19 year olds. 11+ years teaching experience & 9+ years experience as an IT Specialist with IBM UK.