Support for teaching core practicals with our new recommended videos
We know that lots of you are being forced to reduce or suspend your programmes of live practicals in the classroom, so videos have become a really key resource. We’ve saved you the trouble of searching around for the best by collating a selection of videos to support key practical experiments for 14–16 and 16–18 students. There are teaching points, suggested questions and links to related resources to help you integrate the videos into lessons and the wider curriculum.
The videos are also ideal for supporting students who may have fallen behind during lockdown, or for use with remote or blended learning.
Post-lockdown teaching support
Back in April, we created a remote teaching support page that many of you found really useful. Now the teaching landscape has changed again, and you can find help with the transition back to the classroom on our post-lockdown teaching support page. With ideas for teaching both in person and virtually, advice for identifying and supporting students’ gaps in learning and tips for running practicals under the new guidelines, the page is a valuable resource for teaching post-lockdown: and there’s a dedicated section for NQTs, too.
The content of the support page will be regularly updated throughout the academic year.
Explore post-lockdown teaching support
Continuing Professional Development courses
To support you in making the transition back to the classroom, we are continuing to offer our online CPD courses completely free until the end of December. The courses cover a range of key areas including redox chemistry, developing and using models, and quantitative chemistry. The courses are a great way to develop your understanding of concepts and are designed to be easy to fit into your schedule, as they can be completed in your own time.
If you are an NQT, or have one on your team, the CPD courses are particularly valuable for filling any gaps in training as a result of lockdown.
As well as these on-demand online courses, we will be running live online courses on the same topics throughout the academic year. The first two courses on the schedule are Structure & Bonding: Post-16 on 8 October at 4pm, and Acids & Bases: Post-16 on 12 October at 3.30pm.
Advice and support for newly and recently qualified teachers
Education in Chemistry magazine has launched a brand new advice column for ITTs, NQTs and RQTs. The series offers those new to the teaching profession the opportunity to ask difficult questions and gain valuable advice from teaching experts and mentors.
If you, or any of your colleagues, have a question you’d like to put to the expert team, send us an email with ‘classroom questions’ as the subject line.
Next steps for apprentices who have lost their jobs
The DfE has launched a new online and telephone support and advice service for apprentices who have lost their jobs as a result of Covid-19. The support service provides help in finding new opportunities and access to services in areas such as finance, well-being and careers.
If you are teaching apprentices who have lost their placements, you can direct them to the service for help in finding their next steps.
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