ŷAV

Challenge, Change and Joy in Teaching Chemistry

Explore more:

Popular searches

Donate Join us

Challenge, Change and Joy in Teaching Chemistry

A one day conference organised by the ŷAV Secondary and Further Education Group (SaFE).

Date

7 July 2026

Subject areas

Education

Location

London, UK

Challenge, Change and Joy in Teaching Chemistry Main Image
Search all events

A one day conference organised by the ŷAV Secondary and Further Education Group to be held at:

St Paul’s School, Lonsdale Road, London, SW13 9JT, UK

MORNING SESSIONS

9.00 – 10.00 Arrival, Registration and Tea/Coffee

10.00 – 10.10 Welcome to St Paul’s School Matthew Smith

Welcome from the SaFE Chair Dr Julie Hyde

10.10-10.50 Keynote Talk “Ever Decreasing Chemistry”

Bob Worley ŷAV Excellence in Chemistry Education Award Winner

Bob will describe how practical chemistry can be made safe, sustainable and enjoyable through easily accessible observations and measurements on a small scale.

10.55 – 11.15 Refreshments

11.15 – 11.35 Teaching approaches to overcome thresholds in chemistry teaching”

Dr Zoë Thorn - Long Road Sixth Form College

11.35 – 11.55 “AI as a ‘Good but Unreliable Assistant’: Workload Reduction and Responsible Integration in Secondary Chemistry Education”

Dr Gleb Aleshin - King’s School, Ely

11.55 – 12.15 Change, Challenge and Joy in Practical Chemistry Labs

Dr Julie Hyde - University of Sheffield

ŷAV 2024 Excellence in Higher Education prize winner

12.15 – 13.15 Lunch

AFTERNOON SESSIONS

13.15 – 14.00 Breakout Session A**

14.00 – 14.15 Refreshments

14.15 – 15.00 Breakout Session B**

15.00 – 15.40 Plenary Talk

“Think like a chemist: even if the teenagers aren’t fully convinced” Dr Katherine Haxton University of Keele

Chair ŷAV Chemistry Education Research Group interest group.

15.40 – 16.00 Prizes and closing comments Dr Julie Hyde

**Choice of two from 4 workshop and breakout sessions. Session 4A at 13.15 only. Session 4B at 14.15 only

1. Teaching to overcome threshold concepts in organic chemistry

Dr Zoë Thorn, Long Road Sixth Form College

2. “Demystifying CPAC and chemistry practical assessment

Dr Peter Hoare and Andy Long, SaFE Committee

3. The Puddle and Beyond – an exploration of microscale chemistry

Maureen Wade, ŷAV 2024 Excellence in Secondary Education prize winner

4A. Practical strategies to support literacy in chemistry

Christabel Maitland, ŷAV Education Division

4B. “How AI can help in planning and assessment in teaching chemistry”

Penny Robotham

*A limited number of bursaries for ŷAV members of up to £200 to cover registration and travel expenses are available. Preference will be given to members of SaFE.

Speakers

Default Person Image

Dr Julie Hyde

Sheffield University

UK

Default Person Image

Penny Robotham

The National Mathematics & Science College

UK

Default Person Image

Bob Worley

Secondary and Further Education Group

UK

Default Person Image

Dr Katherine Haxton

Keele University

UK

Default Person Image

Dr Zoe Thorn

Long Road Sixth Form College Cambridge

UK

Default Person Image

Maureen Wade

Victory Academy

UK

Default Person Image

Gleb Aleshin

King's School , Ely

UK

Default Person Image

Peter Hoare and Andy Long

ŷAV SaFE Committee

UK

Default Person Image

Chrissie Maitland

ŷAV Education Division

UK

Committees

Default Person Image

Julie Hyde

Chair Secondary and Further Education Group

UK

Default Person Image

Matthew Smith

Committee Member St Pauls School

UK

Event details

As this is a one day conference postal and oral abstracts will not be running

Deadlines

Early bird registration deadline 31/05/2026

Early bird ŷAV member registration fee £20

Early bird non-member registration fee £25

Early bird student ŷAV member registration fee £10

Early bird student non-member registration fee £10

After the early bird deadline

ŷAV member registration fee £25

Non-member registration fee £30

Student ŷAV member registration fee £10

Student non-member registration fee £10

Deadlines

Molymod

Secondary and Further Education Interest group

St Paul's School

St Paul's School, Lonsdale Road, London, SW13 9JT, UK

Allow cookies to view content.

Peter Calder

Search all events