Iain Mackenzie · Physics
简体中文
← Advanced Physics

For schools

Iain Mackenzie — Physics Coach for Physics teachers

Workshops and one-to-one advice with teaching skills, assessment and feedback.

Practical support for early-career teachers, non-specialists and teachers new to A-Level Physics—strengthening their own professional judgement and independence.

Discuss school supportHow it works
Iain Mackenzie leading a professional-development session for teachers.

One-to-one advice in practice

Specialist Physics judgement when the teacher needs it.

The teacher teaches and marks as normal. I review a small, useful sample and help them become more secure in the judgements they make.

  1. 1

    Mark as normal.

    The teacher carries out their usual teaching and marking of formative work or mock examinations.

  2. 2

    Choose a sample.

    They send a few scripts, selected questions or answers they found difficult to judge.

  3. 3

    Review the judgement.

    I review the Physics, the marking, use of the mark scheme and the feedback given to students.

  4. 4

    Build confidence.

    I provide clear written feedback and, where useful, discuss it with the teacher online.

The purpose is not to re-mark everything. It is to help the teacher become increasingly secure in making those judgements themselves.

Support through the year

Available when Physics judgement is needed.

Focused workshops and one-to-one advice can work alongside normal teaching throughout the year, not only during mock-exam season.

  • Difficult answersDiscussing student responses and marking judgements that are not straightforward.
  • Mark schemesInterpreting A-Level and Cambridge International Physics mark schemes.
  • MisconceptionsIdentifying where students’ errors point to a deeper difficulty with the Physics.
  • FeedbackImproving the quality and confidence of written and verbal formative feedback.
  • New responsibilitySupporting a non-specialist or a teacher taking on A-Level Physics for the first time.

What the school gets

Practical support that develops the teacher.

  • Specialist judgementAccess to experienced Physics judgement, practical workshops and one-to-one coaching when the teacher needs it.
  • External reviewA quality check on selected assessment work, with a written record of external review and moderation.
  • Clearer prioritiesA better-informed view of where students are struggling and how the teacher might respond.
  • Capability retainedTeacher development rather than teacher replacement, keeping expertise and confidence inside the school.

Who it is for

Support where an experienced Physics colleague would be helpful.

New to the course

A teacher beginning A-Level Physics.

Someone who knows their students but would value an experienced view on assessment and feedback.

Outside their specialism

A teacher covering unfamiliar Physics.

A capable colleague who needs somewhere reliable to take questions that sit beyond their main subject background.

Without a Physics colleague

A department with limited specialist support.

External moderation and discussion when no experienced Physics teacher is available in school.

Developing existing staff

A school investing in the teachers it has.

Focused support intended to reduce dependence over time as confidence and professional judgement grow.

Experience

Physics and teacher-development experience.

More than 30 years in Physics education have shaped a practical approach to assessment, feedback and teacher development.

  • Physics educationA-Level Physics teaching every year since 1991.
  • Assessment contextCambridge International Physics since 2012, including recent 9702 teaching in Tianjin, China.
  • Teacher developmentExperience in CPD, teacher development and academic leadership.
  • CoachingILM Level 7 Executive Coaching and Mentoring.
  • LeadershipNational Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL).
  • SafeguardingEnhanced DBS check and completed Safeguarding in schools, academies and colleges through NSPCC Learning.

Safeguarding and data

Only the work needed for review is shared.

The practical arrangements are agreed with the school before any student work is transferred.

  • Before transferDirect identifiers are removed and student work is coded before it is shared.
  • Code keyThe school keeps any code-to-name key.
  • Secure handlingWork is transferred and handled using agreed secure arrangements.
  • After reviewCopies are deleted in line with the agreed schedule.
  • School policiesThe work follows the school’s safeguarding and data-protection policies.
  • Professional assuranceI hold an Enhanced DBS check and have completed Safeguarding in schools, academies and colleges through NSPCC Learning.

A secondary capability

Custom Physics assessment design.

Where useful, I can also help with custom assessment design and original A-Level Physics questions.

This is available by discussion, but it is separate from the regular teacher-development and moderation support described above.

First step

Start a conversation.

Get in touch to discuss whether a focused workshop or one-to-one advice would be useful. Where a teacher needs assessment support, we can begin with a small sample of coded marked work, followed by written feedback and a short online discussion.

Get in touch