Need Advice/Help?

Should anyone require help with KS5 Chemistry or KS3/KS4 Science please email to mail@jimbakersonlinelearning.co.uk

Should any “New Teachers” or anyone “thinking of teaching” require practical advice from someone “at the chalk face” for 38 years please email to mail@jimbakersonlinelearning.co.uk

About Me

My Pen Portrait is below.

My name is Jim Baker.  I retired from full-time teaching in August 2008 after 38 years at Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, Lincoln (formerly Lincoln School).

I was Head of Chemistry and Deputy Head of Science in charge of behaviour management within Science when I retired.

During the 1990s our School was at the forefront of student-teacher training in schools and I was our school’s chief mentor and liaison officer with Sheffield Hallam University.  During my time in that role our school was highly regarded by Sheffield Hallam University, so much so that they asked us to take part in one of their OFSTED inspections.

After coaching other staff to take on that role, I became involved with mentoring NQT’s in Science.  I devised proformas to use when mentoring and these were adopted by other areas of our school.

In my final year at Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, I was asked to mentor a colleague during her HLTA accreditation: she passed with flying colours. I again created a proforma to use when assessing her lessons and a co-ordinator for her course asked if she could have the proforma.

Many of my former mentees still contact me to ask about things as I always told my mentees “A mentor is for life, not just for Christmas” and I am pleased they still hold me to that.

In 1997, I got to the final 13 in the Salter's “Chemistry Teacher of the Year” award and in my penultimate year of teaching, I was awarded a “Lifetime Achievement Award”.

I created my website www.jimbakersonlinelearning.co.uk initially to promote independent learning amongst my Chemists but my site quickly grew to cover links to many subjects and areas including Teacher Training.  It is rated 5* by Schoolzone and recommended by Revision World.

It is now used worldwide by students, teachers and parents as can be seen from the comments in my guest book.

In addition to mentoring/advising less experienced colleagues,  an area of expertise is knowledge of Chemistry.  I have been at the “chalk-face” of the teaching profession for 38 years with just 3 weeks’ absence in all that time.

I believe the above clearly indicates I have a passion for education that continues during my semi-retirement.