Secondary Mathematics with QTS (11-16) PGCE

You’ll begin your time with us by reflecting on your existing subject knowledge and understanding. Through this you’ll be able to pick out your main strengths and areas of individual development to focus on.

While on campus, you’ll develop your knowledge of essential education theory and strengthen your subject understanding. We’ll cover innovative teaching and assessment methods including whole class teaching and group work. You’ll also become confident using technology to support learning.

We’ll introduce the ways you can encourage numeric development, including spoken and mental mathematics, and the importance of using the right numeric terms. Learn how to plan lessons effectively and check your teaching is always adaptive and inclusive.

Outside your lectures and seminars, you’ll complete extensive hands-on placements and boost your awareness of the teaching profession through our specific placement curriculum. Get the chance to watch and support at first, then increase your timetable as your confidence in the classroom grows.

How you'll study

A combination of academic study, group discussion and reflection, and practical, work-based learning in the classroom will give you all the knowledge and skills you need to become a creative and innovative teacher. The programme aims to develop a reflective and critically analytical approach to education.

You will undertake extensive placements in schools, putting your training into practice through assisting with and taking responsibility for classes, and working alongside mentors and peers to further your professional development. The focus initially is on observation and supporting teaching and learning. Your teaching timetable will increase as your training progresses and you become more confident in the classroom.

You will also undertake Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) as a specific and focused element of our teacher training curriculum. This is designed to consolidate your knowledge of effective teaching, and enable you to rehearse and obtain feedback from experts on your practice. Our ITAPs are designed to utilise the latest research and technology as well as draw on the outstanding mentors, tutors, and teacher expertise from across our partnership.

Over the course of your training, you will have the opportunity to participate in several days of Intensive Practice focusing on aspects of pivotal practice such as; behaviour management, scaffolding, professional behaviours and questioning.

During periods of ITAP, your timetable may differ and you may be required to attend campus and/or a placement on days outside of the usual pattern.

How you'll be assessed

You will be assessed, through a balanced combination of coursework and portfolio assessments, against both academic criteria and the Standards related to QTS. Various other tasks will enable you to show your competence in ICT, numeracy and literacy and other areas of Mathematics.

Your professional practice will conclude with a final viva that will allow you to demonstrate appropriate achievement against the Teachers’ Standards in order to allow us to make a recommendation for QTS.

Who will be teaching you

The Faculty of Education has been at the forefront of teacher education for over 135 years and today enjoys the enviable position of being one of the country’s leading providers of education, training and research for the children’s workforce.

Tutors are at the forefront of national developments within secondary education. They write Mathematics schemes for national publication and have an excellent reputation for training high quality professionals.

The Edge Hill lead mentors and mentor leadership team play an important part in your teacher training as experts in their field. They have a deep knowledge of the trainee curriculum and support trainees and mentors to make progress providing guidance and support on aspects of the curriculum and assessment.