Become a physics teacher
Teaching physics, you’ll ignite a passion for understanding the mechanics of our world. You’ll inspire pupils to be curious about everything, from the smallest particle to the vastness of the universe.
Tax-free bursaries of £29,000 or scholarships of £31,000 are available for eligible trainee physics teachers.
Why teach physics
As a physics teacher, you’ll be engaging students in a wide range of experiments that can spark their interest. You could inspire your pupils to consider rewarding professions, from tackling climate change to artificial intelligence (AI).
In addition to the personal rewards of teaching physics, there are practical benefits too, including:
- a competitive salary starting at £31k (or higher in London)
- a secure pension
- more holiday days than people in many other professions
- opportunities for progression
It's inspiring getting 'wow, that's how it works' from pupils as they grasp a subject they thought was hard.
Shape your pupils' futures
Teaching physics opens the door for your pupils to pursue exciting careers. They could work in a diverse range of fields, from astronomy and sound engineering, to data science and programming.
By solving challenging problems, your pupils could make significant contributions to these impactful areas.
Your pupils will learn more from you than you might think. As their teacher, you’ll guide your pupils though the skills they need to show their understanding of physics. You'll teach them valuable life skills such as critical thinking, decision making and problem solving.
People may not realise how much potential there is for progression in teaching. They think they go into the world of the classroom and that's it. Lots of teachers have added responsibilities they enjoy doing and find fulfilling.
What you'll teach
You'll teach the national curriculum for physics, with opportunities to develop your pupils' ability to think like physicists and see physics as a solution to many challenges.
Themes you'll cover when you teach 11 to 14 year olds (key stage 3) include:
- energy
- motion and forces
- electricity and electromagnetism
- waves and matter
Explore what teaching a key stage 3 science lesson would be like by visiting the Oak National Academy website.
Themes you’ll cover when you teach 14 to 16 year olds (key stage 4) include:
- energy, forces and wave motion
- electricity, magnetism and electromagnetism
- the structure of matter
- atomic structure and space physics
Themes you’ll cover when you teach 16 to 18 year olds (key stage 5) include:
- fields, vectors and scalars
- mechanics and mechanical properties of matter
- electric circuits and waves
- matter, quantum and nuclear physics
Teaching pupils at different ages and abilities means you'll always be expanding your knowledge and approach to meet pupils' needs. Once you have qualified teacher status (QTS) you can also teach any other subject, as long as you can show you have enough expertise.
Start your journey into teaching physics
Check your qualifications
To train to teach physics in England, you'll need:
- GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths (and science if you want to teach primary)
- a bachelor's degree in any subject
Having relevant A levels can show your subject knowledge, if you do not have a degree in physics.
Physics teacher training courses have had successful applications from candidates with a range of degrees, including maths, geology, business studies and finance.
Find out about the qualifications needed to teach.
Improve your subject knowledge
If your training provider thinks you need to top up your subject knowledge in physics before you become a teacher, you can do a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course.
There are lots of reasons why someone might need to complete an SKE course. For example, if you finished your degree more than 5 years ago or if you have an A level but not a degree in the subject you want to teach.
Find out more about subject knowledge enhancement courses.
Fund your teacher training
Tax-free bursaries of £29,000 or scholarships of £31,000 are available for eligible trainee physics teachers.
You can get a bursary or scholarship alongside a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan.
Even if you've had financial support for a previous course, you could still be eligible for funding to support your teacher training.
You may also be able to get extra funding and support if you're:
- a parent or carer
- disabled
- a veteran
Find out how you can fund your teacher training.
Apply for a paid internship
If you're currently doing an undergraduate or master's degree and are interested in teaching physics, you could apply for a paid teaching internship.
The 3-week programme could help you to understand what it's really like in the classroom and get a feel for school life.
Engineers teach physics
If you're an engineer considering a career as a physics teacher, there's a teacher training course designed especially with your experience and skills in mind.
Find out about the Engineers teach physics training programme.
Support with teacher training
Throughout your initial teacher training, you'll have the support of a mentor.
Your mentor will:
- guide you through your training, sharing learning and career development opportunities with you
- meet with you regularly to make sure your training is a positive experience
You'll also be part of a welcoming school community where you'll learn from fellow teachers through taught sessions, seminars and workshops.
Once you've completed your initial teacher training, you'll continue to be supported during your first 2 years of teaching. Find out what support you'll get as an early career teacher.
Get free one-to-one support
An adviser with years of teaching experience can help you to become a physics teacher. Chat by phone, text, or email as little or often as you need.
Find out more about advisers