Quarter of English state schools lack physics teacher, study finds

More than 700,000 GCSE students in England will start the new term without a specialist physics teacher, with schools in poorer areas worst affected, according to fresh analysis.

- Sally Weale

A quarter of English state schools have no dedicated physics teachers, with those in poorer areas worst affected, the analysis shows.

As a result, more than half of GCSE physics lessons are being taught by teachers who have not studied a physics-related subject beyond the age of 18.

Many pupils will have taken physics only up to GCSE level, according to a report by the Institute of Physics (IoP), which is calling for urgent action to tackle the "chronic and critical shortage of specialist physics teachers in England". The IoP report says pupils in schools without a specialist physics teacher are half as likely to go on to study A-level physics - "a crucial gateway" to further studies leading to careers in Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) - as those with one.