Role
Philippa Baker is:
PGCE secondary course:
- Assistant course leader PGCE responsible for ITaP
- Module lead for Learning to be a Teacher within PGCE Secondary
- Physics specialist
- Personal and Academic tutor
- Lead mentor
- Executive lead mentor
Educational studies undergraduate course
- Module lead for What is Education?
Previous roles include;
- Course lead for BSc (Hons) Secondary Science Education,
- Module lead for Contemporary Physics for secondary school teachers,
- Module lead for Further physics,
- Module lead for SET on PCET course
- Curriculum lead PCET /FES
- Course leader on the Physics Subject Knowledge and Enhancement (SKE) course
- NTU representative within Nottinghamshire’s Science Learning Partnership and TSST.
Interests include; recruitment and retention of Physics / Science teachers, inspiring physics in the classroom, developing CPD, innovative practice, practical science, motivating pupils in Science, STEM and using technology within Science.
Career overview
Philippa worked for 17 years as a Science teacher in a highly successful secondary school within Nottinghamshire.
Science roles included; Head of Science, Head of Physics, Head of KS3 Science.
Whole school roles included; e-learning co-ordinator, equal opportunities coordinator, work experience coordinator.
Philippa started at NTU in 2008 teaching on the 36 week SKE course. Since then she has taught on a range of courses supporting the training of secondary school teachers in Science.
Research areas
Philippa's research interests include:
- Recruitment and retention of Science teachers,
- Identifying the barriers to the pipeline of international trainee teachers. UCET SiG co-chair.
- Collaborating in IoP resports such as the 3 Rs
- Secondary science teaching,
- Physics,
- STEM,
- SECURE project – Science education curriculum research – seventh framework programme,
- Chemistry for all (longitudinal research project with Royal Society of Chemistry – providing CPD),
- CPD for Physics teachers.
External activity
Co-chair of UCET SiG looking at the pipeline of teachers for MFL and Physics.
Collaborating with the IoP in publications.
Philippa has worked in partnership with George Spencer alliance and the IOP to deliver TSST Physics CPD training.
Chemistry for all research project – supporting community projects with Ignite and delivering CPD to Chemistry teachers from partner schools.
Sponsors and collaborators
Royal Society of Chemistry – ‘Chemistry for all’ research project.
Publications
Conference presentations:
- ASE conference - expert panel member on recruitment and retention 2026
- UCET conference - presentation about the pipeline of teachers for MFL and Physics 2025
- IoP ITT Tutor Conference, London, ITaP, recruitment and retention, barriers faced by International trainee teachers - 2015 and 2017, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
- Science consortium meeting 2015 - 2025
- Annual eLearning Showcase 2012
- College of Arts and Science 2nd Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2013
- Annual Education Conference 2012
- Science Education Conference, Leicester University, 2012
Research:
Crowley, M., Richards, R and Baker, P. 2023. Teacher recruitment, training and retention. – UK Parliament Committees. (TTR0043) Available at: Teacher recruitment, training and retention - Committees - UK Parliament [Accessed: 20th June 2023].
Omeni, D, Baker, P et al. 2024. Developing Scholarship and Research Skills: Interrogating the Literature on Subject Specialist Trainee Teachers’ Desirable Features. Available at: https://doi.org/10.71779/324 [Accessed 26th March 2026]
Books:
Badger Post 16 Science: How Science Works: Physics. Baker P and Ireson G, 2010, Stevenage, Badger Publications LTD.