Colin

I am an experienced chemistry teacher with over 30 years teaching behind me. I have only taught chemistry, and have a depth of understanding and experience because of this. Most of my teaching has been A-level Chemistry and the chemistry components of the BTEC National Diploma in Applied Science/Forensic Science courses, but I have also taught from GCSE Chemistry and BTEC First Diploma in Applied Science up to degree standard Chemistry.
With all of this experience, I have developed a range of different approaches to the various topics on A-level (and equivalent) courses, and know different ways to explain and illustrate these areas. I try to be interactive and engaging by coming up with new and creative ways to help students learn. The aim of this is for students to understand the key concepts of chemistry, to be able to link them together and apply them to new situations and thus prepare them for their exams.
The majority of my teaching career has been on the Edexcel syllabus, and I have become adept at recognising what examiners are looking for in answers to questions, and how marks are typically distributed. This means that I can help students understand the structure of standard exam questions as well as approaches to unfamiliar ones.
After I graduated, I spent some years working as a chemist before I started teaching, and so I have some knowledge of the real-life applications of the subject.

Willing to travel: 5 miles

Experience: B.Sc. in Chemical Sciences (UEA)
PGCE - Further Education (Cardiff University)
9 years experience teaching A-level Chemistry (mostly Edexcel), and the chemistry components of BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Science (on Units 1 - 7) at a Sixth Form College
23 years experience teaching a range of course at a general FE college. These were mostly A-level Chemistry (Edexcel), and various versions of BTEC Level 3 Applied Science courses. In my first 10 years at the college, we also offered GCSE Chemistry, BTEC First Diploma in Applied Science and BTEC Higher National Diploma in Chemistry, and I taught on each of these courses.
Prior to teaching, I spent 4 years managing an Analytical Laboratory, and for 3 years before that I was an Analytical Chemist in these laboratories.

DBS Check: Yes