Physics Partners
Physics Partners is a UK registered charity that delivers hands-on physics teacher training and pupil engagement programmes, including regional hubs, online CPD, festivals, and competitions, primarily serving non-specialist teachers and pupils in state secondary schools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersUnited Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Physics Partners does
Physics Partners is a UK registered charity (Charity Number 1125644) founded in 2007 and headquartered in Reading, England. Its mission is to improve physics education in state secondary schools, with a particular focus on non-specialist teachers — typically biologists and chemists required to teach physics without specialist qualifications — as well as physics technicians and early-career teachers. The organisation is small in headcount, with approximately 11 central staff working virtually, supported by a network of roughly 50 freelance trainers based across the UK, primarily in England.
The charity delivers its work through a portfolio of programmes including regional Physics Hubs (90-minute training sessions held each half term at host schools across 30+ locations), full-day Festivals of Physics in cities such as Birmingham, Winchester, Norwich, and Kent, Study Days for pupils, Girls in Physics events, and the annual "What Lights Up Your Love of Physics?" Year 12 video competition. Its digital content library includes the Physics Fuel: Power Boosts series (10-minute CPD films covering 14+ GCSE topics), the Planet Possibility Short Films (eight GCSE videos funded by the IOP), Bitesize Careers Resources, and an online CPD programme ("From Basics to Brilliance") run in partnership with the Association for Science Education. Notable institutional partners include the Institute of Physics (IOP), the ASE, Merton College and the University of Oxford Department of Physics, King's College Cambridge, and corporate/event supporters such as National Gas, Harwin, and the Ironmongers Company.
The operating model is non-commercial: services are provided free of charge to participants and funded by charitable trusts, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Headline impact figures for the 2024-25 academic year cite 475 schools supported, 120,000 pupils impacted, and 4,100 training hours delivered. Funding sources are diverse but predominantly grant-based, with named grants including £15,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation (March 2022) and Reece Foundation support for North East delivery (2022). Leadership comprises CEO Sally Smith (appointed December 2023), Chair Isabelle Haigh (since May 2023, ex-National Grid ESO), and founder/vice-chair Tommy Cookson (MBE 2022), with Paul Hammond joining as Director of Education in September 2024.
Physics Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Physics Partners
- Legal name
- Physics Partners
- Website
- https://physicspartners.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Physics Partners is a UK registered charity that delivers hands-on physics teacher training and pupil engagement programmes, including regional hubs, online CPD, festivals, and competitions, primarily serving non-specialist teachers and pupils in state secondary schools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Physics Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Physics Teacher Training Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (61), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Physics Enrichment Programs (EDAMABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Teacher Training & Curriculum Providers (Robotics/Maker Education) (EDAMADAM), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)
Keywords
Where Physics Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- United Kingdom
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Physics Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations and Grants: Physics Partners is a charity that receives funding from trusts, foundations, and corporate sponsors to support its mission of improving physics education in UK schools.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors support events like physics festivals and local physics hubs, providing sponsorship revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Free training services for teachers and technicians |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Physics Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Physics Partners is a UK educational charity delivering hands-on physics teacher training and ongoing professional development through a network of 30+ regional Physics Hubs, full-day Physics Festivals, online CPD courses, and a library of short educational films. It also runs student engagement programs including an annual Year 12 video competition, Girls in Physics events, and Study Days. All services are provided free of charge to UK state secondary schools, teachers, technicians, and pupils.
Product overview
Physics Partners is an educational charity providing a comprehensive suite of physics education support programs. The organization operates through regional Physics Hubs delivering 90-minute training sessions each half term, supported by digital resources including the Physics Fuel: Power Boosts (10-minute CPD films) and Planet Possibility Short Films covering GCSE topics. Key programs include the annual What Lights Up Your Love of Physics? video competition for Year 12 students, Festivals of Physics (full-day CPD events), Girls in Physics events, and Study Days. Teacher training is delivered through the Teaching Physics: From Basics to Brilliance program (10 sessions in partnership with The ASE) and Bitesize Careers Resources. These offerings are primarily educational programs and content, not a traditional software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 475 schools supported in 2024-2025 academic year
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Physics Partners
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Physics Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Physics Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- King's College, CambridgemajorHost venue for the 2026 video competition prize ceremony and residential event.
- Merton College, University of OxfordmajorCompetition partner hosting the prize ceremony for the video competition. Provided venue for residential event and judging panel including Professor Simon Saunders.
- University of Oxford Department of PhysicsmajorCompetition partner providing judges and expertise for the video competition, including Dr Becky Smethurst.
- Lascells LtdminorProvided £500 for physics equipment for schools for finalist teams in the video competition.
- The ASE (Association for Science Education)majorPartnership to deliver 10 interactive online physics subject-knowledge sessions for non-specialists and early career teachers.
- Institute of Physics (IOP)majorLong-standing partner in physics education; collaborated on Hampshire Physics CPD Partnership and co-branded events.
- Sir Richard FriendmajorLong-standing patron of Physics Partners; awarded IOP 2024 Isaac Newton Medal and Prize.
- Total Flow LtdminorProvided session on past, present and future of energy at Birmingham Study Day.
- University of BirminghamminorPartner for Birmingham Study Day; Professor Alessandro Mottura delivered materials science session.
- University of OxfordminorProfessor Wade Allison from Oxford delivered nuclear physics session at Birmingham Study Day.
- Aston UniversityminorProfessor Patricia Thornley presented on bioenergy at Birmingham Study Day.
- National Gas TransmissionminorEmily Ly, Hydrogen Strategy Manager, participated in panel session at Birmingham Study Day.
- Aurrigo LtdminorDavid Keene, CEO, participated in panel session at Birmingham Study Day.
- HarwinminorWorld-leading interconnect manufacturer hosting physics teacher factory tours; Damon de Laszlo, Chairman, provides ongoing support. Discussing apprenticeship opportunities for students.
- STEMunityminorProduced video from Harwin visit for Physics Partners.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Physics Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Discovery Education: Global provider of digital curriculum resources and STEM content for schools — adjacent content-library model serving UK secondary physics teaching.
- EngineeringUK: UK not-for-profit promoting engineering careers and STEM engagement, including Tomorrow's Engineers — adjacent mission around addressing STEM teacher shortages and inspiring students.
- Institute of Physics (IOP): UK's main physics professional body running extensive teacher CPD, school partnerships and the 'Limit Less' and 'Physics Partners Planet Possibility' programmes — broader portfolio but overlapping education mission.
Emerging players
- Royal Institution: Historic UK science education charity running public lectures, masterclasses and school engagement programmes in physical sciences — comparable mission of inspiring young people through physics.
- Smallpeice Trust: UK charity inspiring young people into engineering and physical sciences through school programmes and competitions — comparable student-engagement pillar.
Direct peers
- STEM Learning: UK's largest STEM education charity (formerly the National STEM Centre and Science Learning Centres), delivering teacher CPD, school partnerships and STEM resources — the closest scale and mission comparable to Physics Partners' teacher-CPD model.
- Primary Engineer: UK not-for-profit running STEM teacher training and pupil engineering challenges across primary and secondary schools — comparable teacher CPD plus student engagement model.
- Ogden Trust: UK charity focused specifically on physics education partnerships in schools, including teacher CPD and student physics engagement — directly comparable specialism and beneficiary base to Physics Partners.
- ASE (Association for Science Education): UK subject association for science teachers, providing CPD, publications and community; co-delivers the 'Teaching Physics: From Basics to Brilliance' programme with Physics Partners — a direct collaboration peer.
Regional players
- Cambridge Science Centre: Charity delivering hands-on physics and STEM engagement to schools and families in the Cambridge region — comparable hands-on, regional hub-style delivery model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Physics Partners social profiles
Digital presencePhysics Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Physics Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Physics Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Physics Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Physics Partners
What does Physics Partners do?
Physics Partners is a UK educational charity delivering hands-on physics teacher training and ongoing professional development through a network of 30+ regional Physics Hubs, full-day Physics Festivals, online CPD courses, and a library of short educational films. It also runs student engagement programs including an annual Year 12 video competition, Girls in Physics events, and Study Days. All services are provided free of charge to UK state secondary schools, teachers, technicians, and pupils.
Is Physics Partners a public or private company?
Physics Partners is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Physics Partners founded?
Physics Partners was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Physics Partners based?
Physics Partners is headquartered in United Kingdom, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Physics Partners make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship.
Who are Physics Partners's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Discovery Education, EngineeringUK and Institute of Physics (IOP). Emerging players are Royal Institution and Smallpeice Trust. Direct peers are STEM Learning, Primary Engineer, Ogden Trust and ASE (Association for Science Education). Cambridge Science Centre is listed as a regional player.
Does Physics Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Physics Partners.
What industry is Physics Partners in?
Physics Partners's product category is Physics Teacher Training Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMABAH, Physics Enrichment Programs, with a secondary code of EDAMADAM, Teacher Training & Curriculum Providers (Robotics/Maker Education). Its NAICS code is 61 and its SIC code is 8200.