The importance of chemistry is visible all around us in everyday life, but could you effectively communicate the value of understanding the subject to pupils?

Good chemistry teachers are hard to find – do you have what we're looking for?

What makes a good chemistry teacher?

Initial teacher training (ITT) will help you develop the skills to excel as a chemistry teacher, and find the answers to questions such as these:

  • How could you inspire pupils to make chemistry their favourite subject?
  • How would you make the application of chemistry in industry and the effects on the environment exciting and relevant to pupils?
  • How would you carry out an experiment to help pupils have a lasting understanding of a chemical reaction, beyond the immediate visual impact?
  • How could you be creative to help pupils understand the subject and make it entertaining as well as informative?
  • How could you encourage a GCSE student to take chemistry at A level and beyond?

These are just some of the challenges chemistry teachers face in their daily work. Through ITT to the induction period for newly qualified teachers (NQTs) and beyond, you'll find that support is always available to help you along the way.

This can come from training providers, subject associations and colleagues and will help you teach chemistry to the highest standard.

Eligibility to teach chemistry

To become a chemistry teacher, you will need to successfully complete an ITT course, from which you will gain qualified teacher status (QTS), and there are a number of courses to choose from. To train to teach on any ITT programme, you must be educated to degree level and have a standard equivalent to a grade C in GCSE English and maths.

Providers will often look for chemistry ITT candidates with a strong background in chemistry. This usually means an A level in chemistry and an undergraduate degree in chemistry or a related subject. Don't be put off applying if you feel unsure about your subject knowledge; you can contact your chosen provider now to talk this through, and also raise it at the interview stage.

The training provider that runs your ITT course will make the final decision on relevant subject knowledge. If they feel you have the right credentials for teaching but need to freshen up on your subject knowledge before you start training, they will discuss the range of subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) courses they have available for you. They will either arrange a placement or help you find a course if they don’t run one internally.

For information about how we can help you to become a chemistry teacher, visit our paths into teaching page. If you're an engineering graduate or an experienced engineer looking for a change of career, visit our engineering pages to discover how you can use your skills in the classroom.

If you want to find out more about training to become a chemistry teacher, you can sign up for information and advice today