41, 955 last year to 45, 534 this year - an 8.5% increase.
Although the number of entrants has increased much work is still required to reduce the gender divide in the physics classroom as the proportion of girls against boys taking physics exams remains stubbornly fixed at approximately 1 girl to every 3 boys.
Lesson idea
There also remains concerns that some students - especially girls - are not following through from AS to A level - possibly because they think it will be easier to get a higher grade in other subjects despite the data showing that students who stick with the subject are very successful: 53% get an A*, A or B.
With universities looking to recruit students with good grades in traditional subjects, physics is a subject to stick with.
Charles Tracy, head of education pre-19 at the Institute of Physics (IOP), said,
"Only five years ago we were meeting results day with a sense of dread as we anticipated further decreases in the number of physics entrants. We are delighted that all of the hard work undertaken by policy makers, and through programmes like our own Stimulating Physics Network, is paying off.
"When it is taught well, physics is a rewarding and valuable subject for school students; however, there remain many schools where students don't have access to the quality of teaching that will encourage them to pursue it beyond the age of 16. The challenge now is to provide all students in all schools with the opportunities that many are now enjoying."
Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, president of IOP, said,
"The increase in candidate numbers is good news but we can not lose focus now. We need the Government to continue expressing the importance of qualifications such as physics and avoid sending negative messages through hasty cuts to the UK's science base. Students will be encouraged to take subjects like physics if they can be assured that qualifications in physics lead to the brightest prospects."
An earlier article in August drew my attention to the same theme
More young people studying maths and science but skills shortage still threatens economy
This year's GCSE results show more young people are studying science and maths and the first cohort of students have successfully completed the Higher Diploma in Engineering.
However, Europe's largest body of engineers is warning that the UK faces a massive skills shortage, unless this trend increases at a rapid pace.
Around 20% of science-related professional jobs in the UK are filled by migrants demonstrating how significant the problem has become. This could become even more unmanageable with a number of low carbon economy initiatives high on the agenda.
At the same time, a soon to be published survey by the Institution of Engineering of Technology (IET) shows that one in every five engineering employers are concerned they will not be able to find suitable engineering candidates to recruit in the next four to five years. That is a significant increase from the figure reported in 2009.
Individual science GCSE entries are up. Paul Davies, Head of Policy at the IET said:
"There is a significant risk regarding the match between the supply and demand of UK engineering skills. That is why we have been supporting the formation of the new Diploma from the outset, as we believe it is essential to get engineering into schools and young people enthused about this exciting subject.
Though the author of the article speaks specifically about the new 14 to19 diplomas in England, the comment made about its development should concentrate our attention on the applied GCSE options in engineering available to our young people at 14 and 16 plus, if we are to meet the future demands of the engineering industry.
There is little doubt that the appropriate applied courses enables young people to progress towards undergraduate study or employment with the confidence that they have 'real work ready' skills. Appropriate applied engineering courses have the potential to ensure that engineering is at the heart of the curriculum and on the minds of young people as an exciting career option for the first time.
My final piece on the subject concerns the need to ensure that our best quality students are encouraged to consider a career teaching Physics and Maths and it is drawn from a piece that appeared on the Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) site back in October
Physics teachers: More than a decade of doubled intake needed
Having now calculated the extent of the shortage of specialist physics teachers in our schools, the Institute of Physics (IOP) has likened the rate of recruitment and retention in the profession to "a bath with the plug out and the taps only half on."As science in school is split equally between physics, chemistry and biology, schools need equal proportions of teachers with the appropriate academic background, but at present only 19% of science teachers have a physics degree.
Evidence from Ofsted and an independent report by Professor Alan Smithers have found that schools with no physics specialists have fewer students progressing in the subject to A-level, at a time when businesses and politicians alike identify physics as one of the most desirable subjects to be qualified in.
At present, at least 500 state schools in England lack any science teachers with qualifications in physics and there are still big concerns about teacher retention with half of all new physics teachers leaving the profession within four and a half years.
This year, around 590 would-be physics teachers will begin teacher-training courses on their path to QT status but at least 1000 new physics teachers are needed each year, for 15 consecutive years, to achieve the desired balance.
Among some of the longer-term solutions are better marketing targeted at physics graduates, the creation of a few teacher training 'supercentres' particularly aimed at training to teach shortage subjects, and mentoring to improve retention.
Lesson idea
In the short-term, the only solution is to offer professional development to those already teaching science who do not have a physics qualification to ensure they have the confidence and enthusiasm required to inspire students. To this end, IOP continues to run the Stimulating Physics Network, which has resulted in partaking schools seeing a 30% increase in the number of students taking their physics AS exams.
Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, IOP's President, said, "We now have a better idea of the scale of the shortage: how many teachers there are at present in England's state schools, how many are currently entering teacher training, and by how much we would need to increase this number in order for every school to have enough physics teachers to be sure its students are getting the best possible education in the subject.
"Despite a recent small upturn in recruitment, the shortage remains a serious problem."
Lesson idea
It would be interesting to research the figures re: the shortage of qualified Physics teachers for schools in N Ireland. I suspect they would be available from the Department of Education. Figures no doubt would reveal if the situation is on par, or perhaps more grave, than that in England. Nevertheless, the three articles should provide the careers teacher with enough material to develop some project ideas on how to bring the importance of Physics and Maths to the attention of all those making subject options; firstly at 14, then at 16, and finally those considering Further or Higher Education course at 18.
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