How specialist Physics teaching can close the GCSE and A-level attainment gap
For most teachers, the day begins with a quick check of emails and messages. A few weeks ago, one message stood out for MyEdSpace Physics teacher Brook Edgar.
It came from a former colleague, Izmir, now a member of the Senior Leadership Team at Ark Evelyn Grace Academy in Brixton.
The school serves a diverse community of students aged 11–16 and, like many schools across the country, faces the challenge of recruiting specialist Physics teachers.
Nationally, according to research from the Institute of Physics, almost 60% of students are taught Physics by a non-specialist teacher. While these teachers work tirelessly to support their students, research consistently shows that subject expertise can play an important role in building student confidence, particularly in examination years. Recognising this and knowing how important subject specialism is to bridging attainment gaps, Izmir reached out to Brook to ask if MyEdSpace could help prepare his Year 11 students for their GCSE Paper 1 Physics exam.
Bringing specialist knowledge into the classroom
The staff at Ark Evelyn Grace had already implemented a range of support strategies, including targeted interventions and directing students towards high-quality online resources and revision videos.
However, Izmir felt that students would benefit from something pre-recorded content can’t provide: the opportunity to build rapport with a specialist teacher, have misconceptions identified in real time, personalised explanations and immediate feedback. Having seen Brook provide this support to thousands of students online through MES, he reached out.
Brook was delighted to help. Recognising that, due to the school's high pupil premium intake not every student had reliable access to a tablet or laptop for online learning, she packed up her board pens and headed to Brixton to deliver the session in person.
Brook delivered a focused two-hour intervention lesson designed to tackle some of the concepts students found most challenging. Her goal - as with every online lesson she delivers - was simple: break down difficult ideas, address misconceptions and help students approach their exam with greater confidence.
Alongside the live teaching, Brook introduced students to MyEdSpace's growing library of free revision resources, including MyResources and social media content, giving them access to high-quality support beyond the classroom.
The power of expert teaching
For Brook, helping students who have traditionally struggled with a subject finally grasp it is why she became a teacher.
"There is nothing quite like seeing the moment a difficult concept suddenly makes sense," she reflected. "By the end of the lesson, students who had arrived feeling unsure were confidently answering questions they previously found challenging."
Just as importantly, the visit reinforced Brook's admiration for the work taking place every day in schools across the country.
"The staff at Ark Evelyn Grace were incredibly dedicated and deeply committed to their students. It was inspiring to see the relationships they had built and the positive culture they had created. Spending time back in school was also a reminder of the many demands teachers balance every day, from lesson planning and assessment to behaviour management and pastoral support."
The staff were also pleased to discover MyEdSpace's open-access bank of curriculum-aligned GCSE Physics videos and teaching resources, created by experienced subject specialists and designed to support both classroom teaching and independent student revision. GCSE English (AQA), GCSE Maths (Edexcel), GCSE Biology (AQA) and GCSE Chemistry (AQA) are all also available. 
Expert Physics teaching: whenever - wherever
If you're a student or parent looking for additional specialist teaching support, we offer GCSE Physics lessons for Year 10 and Year 11 (Foundation and Higher) students, plus A-level Physics for both Year 12 and Year 13 students. And, you can explore our free GCSE and A-level resources on the MyEdSpace website.
If your school is looking for additional support for your students, get in touch at [email protected] and we can help.