Teacher Training: Maths PGCE & GTP

Do you have a love of maths?

• Do you want to engage young people and help change their perception of mathematics?
• Do you want to help make mathematics accessible to everyone?

Our philosophy is that mathematics can, and should, be enjoyed by all children. The challenge for the teacher then is to turn this into action. We trust that, after a year of training, beginning teachers will find this less of a challenge and more like second nature.

Why study to teach Maths at the University of Nottingham?

Outstanding Ofsted results

"The overall effectiveness of the University of Nottingham in securing high quality outcomes for trainees is outstanding."

Ofsted 2010

What are the PGCE and GTP Mathematics courses about?

There are five key themes explored during the courses, both in university and in schools. 

• The mathematics: how do you understand the nature of mathematics, what it represents and how it is communicated? How can you turn mathematics into classroom activities?
• The novice teacher: what values, beliefs and attitudes do you bring to the course and to the classroom? What is your current thinking on teaching mathematics? What is education about for you? What previous educational experiences have you had and how have these shaped the person you are and the teacher you want to be?
• The pupil: how do children think, learn, develop and grow? What can you learn by being with pupils? What do you need to know about children in order to help them learn mathematics?
• The effective teacher: what do teachers do in the classroom to foster mathematical thinking in pupils? What approaches, styles and teaching strategies do they use?
• The lesson: what do you need to know about how lessons are structured? What do you need to think about when planning and preparing lessons? What are lessons for? How can you make sure that lessons are structured for the pupils’ needs?

How does the course help you to develop as a teacher?

• Through university sessions that constantly aim to challenge your thinking about mathematics and how it is, and could be, taught.
• Through school placements which give you an opportunity to put into practice your developing skills and understanding.

How are you supported on the course?

A real strength of the maths course is the quality of support you get from a variety of sources, including:

• A personal tutor from the maths team.
• A school mentor on each school placement.
• Your colleagues.

So… if you are looking for a challenging and exhilarating experience which prepares you for teaching maths creatively, in line with up to date theory on how children think and learn, then we look forward to receiving your application.