Teacher mentoring | RSC Education

Have you ever considered having a mentor?

Mentoring is a professional relationship in which an experienced professional helps a colleague at any stage of their career to develop and progress, supporting them as they identify key issues and work towards goals.

With understanding and encouragement, mentors share their skills, experience and knowledge so that their mentees feel confident addressing a wide range of discussion topics. The result should be empowered teachers who are inspired to take the necessary steps towards solutions.

What’s on offer?

We’ve been running dedicated teacher mentoring schemes since 2017, during which time we’ve trained experienced chemistry teachers, paired them with early career chemistry teachers and supported their ongoing relationship. You can find out more about our current scheme for science teachers in leadership roles below.

We also run a wider mentoring scheme open to all Royal Society of Chemistry members, at any career stage. To apply for this wider scheme, please email mentoring@rsc.org (FAO Laura Woodward).

A black and white photograph of two women in conversation. The woman facing the camera is listening, with a laptop open in front of her. Around the photograph are some colourful shapes and an illustration of a lightbulb.

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Take part in the Leadership mentoring programme

Please note applications are currently closed. They will open again in summer 2025.

Would you like to enhance your leadership skills and work with a mentor in industry? We are inviting chemistry or science teachers in department leadership roles (eg head of science, head of chemistry or equivalent) at secondary schools in the UK and Ireland to be mentored by an RSC member who works in industry.

Mentoring partnerships are a great way to work collaboratively to enhance leadership skills, by discovering new ways of looking at leadership and learning new techniques.

You need to be a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry to take part. However, you can claim a complimentary RSC membership by being your school’s lead contact for Teach Chemistry.

Priority will be given to teachers working in schools in challenging circumstances, defined as: Ireland, DEIS school; England, >35% pupil premium eligibility; Northern Ireland, >45% free school meals eligibility; Scotland, >25% free school meals eligibility; and Wales, >30% free school meals eligibility.

To apply you will need to:

Be a member of Teach Chemistry
Currently teach in a secondary school or further education college in the UK or Ireland
Currently work in a leadership position, eg head of science, head of chemistry, principle teacher of science etc
Directly line manage other members of staff (or in ROI lead other members of staff)
Be an RSC member (you can claim complimentary RSC membership if you are your school’s lead contact for Teach Chemistry)

As a participating teacher, you can expect to: 

Establish a collaborative relationship with your mentoring partner with productive conversations on aspects of leadership
Develop greater self-awareness and confidence in your role as a leader
Apply reflections on leadership to your school’s context, to develop a personalised plan towards improved teaching and learning outcomes

The scheme takes place from February to July each year. You will receive guidance to help shape mentoring conversations in collaboration with mentors and previous participants. We recommend you meet up monthly online for about one hour, but it is for each mentoring partnership to determine how long and how often you do so.