Secondary Chemistry School Teachers working in tertiary education Chemistry Departments; critical reflections on the positives and negatives

Several UK University Chemistry Departments have former secondary school chemistry teachers employed as School Teacher Fellows (STF) who are heavily involved in outreach work and a range of teaching responsibilities. This study looks at the outreach role from the point of view of several of the STFs; the benefits, and the barriers and how this role can be developed further. A reflective exercise, asking STFs to write a letter to themselves to advise any new incumbent was used to generate data. This mode was preferred to a formal interview after consultation with STFs. All the responses were analysed in terms of their relationships, motivations and other aspects of their posts. It is concluded that the STF provides a number of unique opportunities to progress relationships between university and secondary and primary schools, to assist new undergraduates in making an effective transition from post-16 study to undergraduate study and to review, support and progress teaching practice at tertiary level. However, barriers to the effective utilisation of STFs include; appropriate support and recognition at the tertiary institute and funding.