Physics at Sedbergh: a conversation with Mr Mark Appleton
In this interview, Mr Mark Appleton, Head of Physics, reflects on what makes the subject both intellectually demanding and continually exciting. Drawing on his background in astrophysics and his experience developing the department at Sedbergh, he explains how Physics is taught as a way of thinking rather than simply a body of knowledge. He discusses the importance of curiosity, perseverance and rigorous reasoning, and how these qualities prepare pupils not only for examinations but for further study and life beyond school.
We are not just studying equations — we are exploring the edge of what is known. That, to me, is endlessly compelling.
What is it about Physics that you find most exciting to teach?
What excites me most about teaching Physics — even after twenty years — is that it is not a finished subject. It is alive. It is still evolving.
From peering through my first telescope with childlike wonder to beginning my working life underground as a tin miner, surrounded by rock shaped by immense geological forces, each experience deepened my curiosity about how our world — and indeed our universe — is formed. That early fascination developed into a sustained academic interest in astrophysics and modern physics: from quarks and dark matter to stellar evolution and gravitational waves — the frontier questions that continue to stretch the boundaries of human understanding.
What I particularly love is that these areas are constantly changing. New telescope data reshapes cosmological models. Particle accelerators refine our understanding of fundamental forces. Even as an examiner in Astrophysics, I am continually learning. To teach these subjects well, I have to remain intellectually active myself — reading, updating, refining. That keeps me in a student’s mindset. I am not simply delivering static content; I am engaging with ideas that are still unfolding.
And pupils sense that excitement. When you teach modern Physics not as something settled but as something humanity is still discovering, it becomes infectious. We are not just studying equations — we are exploring the edge of what is known. That, to me, is endlessly compelling.
What does it mean, in your view, to think like a physicist rather than simply learn formulas?
Thinking like a physicist means asking why before asking how. It’s about understanding the relationships between ideas — force and motion, energy and change, space and time — rather than reaching for an equation as a reflex.
Formulas are simply shorthand for patterns in nature. A pupil who thinks like a physicist can look at a situation they’ve never seen before and reason their way through it logically. They are comfortable making approximations, testing assumptions, and revising their thinking. That intellectual flexibility is far more important than memorising an equation sheet.
Is there a time when pupils realise that Physics is about ideas — about how the universe works — not just getting the right answer?
Yes — and it’s one of the most rewarding moments in teaching.
It often happens in Astronomy. When we use the many department telescopes and pupils see Jupiter’s moons or the craters on the Moon with their own eyes, something shifts. Suddenly, the universe becomes tangible.
That is the moment Physics moves from an academic exercise to an intellectual adventure.
In what ways does life at Sedbergh give pupils the time and space to grapple with complex scientific ideas?
At Sedbergh, pupils lead full lives — particularly in sport — but that rhythm actually helps. Physical challenge builds mental discipline. Pupils understand training, incremental improvement, and resilience; those same qualities apply beautifully to Physics.
There is also space here for depth: small classes, a strong academic culture, and a willingness to let pupils wrestle with difficult concepts rather than rushing to simplified answers. Grappling with complexity is not seen as something to avoid but something to embrace.
What does a Sedbergh education allow you to do as a Physics teacher that you might not be able to do elsewhere?
It allows ambition — genuine, long-term academic ambition.
Here, I have been able to develop substantial practical resources, invest in structured astrophysics equipment, and establish meaningful observational programmes using proper telescopic facilities, for example. That sort of sustained departmental growth requires institutional trust and a willingness to think beyond immediate results.
Just as importantly, there is an intellectual appetite among the pupils. They are willing — even eager — to go beyond the specification: to read further, to question assumptions, and to engage in debate during Invisible College, the school’s long-standing Physics society. In those evening discussions, we explore ideas that will never appear on an examination paper — future cosmology, quantum theory, the limits of measurement — simply because they matter.
That freedom to pursue depth for its own sake is rare, and it is one of the great privileges of teaching here.
How do you help pupils who may lack confidence in Physics begin to trust their reasoning and problem-solving ability?
Confidence in Physics grows from small successes. I often start by slowing problems down and modelling my own thinking aloud. I show them that uncertainty is not failure — it is part of the process.
You analyse, estimate, and move step by step. Once pupils see that logical reasoning consistently leads somewhere solid, they begin to trust themselves.
Why do you believe Physics continues to be such an important subject for young people today?
Because we live in an age shaped by science and technology — energy, climate, space exploration, medical imaging, artificial intelligence. Understanding the physical principles behind these developments empowers young people to engage critically with the world rather than simply consume it.
Physics cultivates clarity of thought in a noisy world.
How does studying Physics develop transferable skills such as resilience, logical thinking and decision-making?
Physics is demanding. Problems rarely yield instantly. Pupils must persevere, test ideas, discard approaches that do not work, and refine their reasoning. That is resilience in action.
Logical thinking is built into the discipline. Decisions are based on evidence, constraints, and analysis — whether estimating the feasibility of a model or evaluating data. These habits transfer directly to sport, leadership, and life beyond school.
If a parent asked you why Physics matters within a broader Sedbergh education, what would you say?
I would say that studying Physics in school doesn’t just meet an academic requirement — it builds the intellectual strength and resilience to tackle life’s toughest challenges, training the mind to question boldly and think critically.
Sedbergh produces young people who are physically capable, confident, and outward-looking. Physics complements that by cultivating rigour, perspective, and intellectual humility. It teaches pupils to question, to reason, and to understand their place in a vast universe.
That combination — strength of body and clarity of mind — is powerful.
If you could change one misconception parents or pupils have about Physics, what would it be?
That Physics is only for the “naturally gifted” mathematician.
In my experience, success in Physics is far more closely tied to curiosity and perseverance than innate brilliance. If a pupil is willing to think carefully, to ask questions, and to persist when things feel challenging, they can succeed.
Physics is not about being quick. It is about being thoughtful.