A NUMBER of Gwynedd schools are taking part in a new initiative to improve physics teaching in the classroom.

Stimulating Physics Network Wales, the Institute of Physics support system for secondary school science teachers, is set to roll out to 48 schools across the country after receiving £242,000 in funding from the Department for Education and Skills Wales, including five in Gwynedd.

Ysgol Glan y Môr, Ysgol y Moelwyn, Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn, Ysgol Botwnnog and Ysgol Eifionydd are all taking part in the scheme.

SPN Wales aims to increase the number of students studying A Level physics by providing bespoke, in-school support and development opportunities for science teachers in secondary school, with a particular focus on those who are not specialist physics teachers.

Each school will be partnered with a trained teaching and learning coach (TLC), who’ll be committed to training non-specialist physics teachers, proving novel ideas for demonstrations and practical learning and also delivering practical sessions to students to complement their ongoing physics education in the classroom.

A pilot SPN Wales scheme was run in 12 schools last year and, after a positive response from the schools involved, the programme initially received an increase in funding from £25,000 to £160,000 from the DfES for the expansion for this academic year.

A further £82,000 has also been granted by the DfES for the scheme to continue from this September through to March 2017.

This increased funding has allowed for the scheme to expand, and now 48 schools across the whole of Wales will benefit from SPN Wales support. The schools new to the scheme include Welsh-medium, bilingual and English-medium schools, and also include a high number of “red” support category schools – schools the government has classed as needing extra support to improve their overall academic performance.