The Government White Paper, The Importance of Teaching, has placed a focus on recruiting top talent to the profession to raise educational standards. Chemistry is a priority subject in this respect, and people who boast the requisite knowledge and drive are considered a real asset.
If you train to teach the subject, bursaries of up to £20,000 are available for chemistry teacher training courses starting in 2012. The amount of bursary you will be eligible for depends on your degree class. For further information, please visit our 2012/13 bursary information page
This is not a short-term issue; good chemistry teachers are always needed in our schools. Completing initial teacher training (ITT) could lead you to a lifelong career that offers stability and excellent opportunities to progress.
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.
How can you progress?
Teaching offers clear and defined development opportunities from the start of your training and throughout your career.
In addition to the fulfilment that comes from helping pupils progress and get the best possible start in life, there are many different routes available to build up your responsibilities, professional skills, and salary. For example, you could earn between £37,461 and £56,950 as an advanced skills teacher (AST) – or more if you work in London.
Find out more about funding for training and pay and benefits
Find out more about the career development opportunities available once you have attained qualified teacher status (QTS).
The wow factor
The demand for good chemistry teachers is very serious, but the job can undoubtedly be fun.
Remember when you first became fascinated by chemistry? By teaching the subject, you can inspire that same excitement in your pupils.
Piquing students' interest in chemistry, which is traditionally considered one of the more difficult core curriculum subjects, is of vital importance. It also delivers the biggest 'wow' factor when pupils get to see chemistry at work.
For Teachers TV, chemistry teacher Paul Grooby demonstrates to a year 7 class how adding potassium permanganate to a series of glasses containing different reagents causes a chemical reaction and colour change.
Peter Tompkin from Maltings Academy shows his pupils an easy way to demonstrate chemical kinetics in action.
Mr Baker from Thomas Hardye School uses cornflour mix and a very loud amplifier to demonstrate the properties of a non-Newtonian fluid.
Further videos, showing how chemistry can be as entertaining for pupils as it is vital to their education, are available on the Teaching Agency's YouTube account and O2 Learn
If you're interested in the rewards and challenges of teaching chemistry, you can find out more by signing up for information and advice today.
