Secondary Mathematics Education BA(Hons) with QTS

Course in brief

By training to teach mathematics you will help young people acquire fundamental life and career skills. This two-year course is for those who want to teach maths and have completed a foundation degree, HND or HNC, or successfully completed at least one year of degree level study in mathematics or a related subject such as engineering or computer science.

It could also be that you are already working in a similar area and are now looking to switch to a career where you can inspire young people on a daily basis.

The course leads to the award of Qualified Teacher Status, enabling you to teach in England and Wales. We have been training teachers for over 100 years and in our most recent Ofsted inspection we were rated ‘outstanding’.

Our emphasis is on enabling you to apply what you learn to real-life situations and challenges. You’ll benefit from our partnerships with over 600 schools where you will gain practical school-based experience in year 2. Opportunities exist in large, small, rural and urban settings to ensure you graduate with the well-rounded experience to become an outstanding teacher.

You will learn from our experienced and enthusiastic course team who have many years’ experience in schools. Our facilities include the curriculum centre which houses more than 30,000 specialist resources for trainee teachers.

Pursuing a mathematics teaching specialism to degree standard means that you will be able to take a role in the leadership and development of this subject area throughout your career.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code XG11

Full-time 2 years

Qualified Teacher Status is awarded by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)

This course qualifies for an Initial Teacher Training Bursary of £9,000 which is payable in the final year of training.

Book your open day place

Apply now with UCAS for 2019 entry

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2018. They should be used as a general guide.

We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

A-levels
not suitable.

International Baccalaureate
not suitable.

Access to HE Diploma
not suitable.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
at least three subjects, including English and maths. In-house equivalence tests are available for suitable candidates if these requirements have not already been achieved.

Foundation degree/HND/HNC
minimum one year full-time study at HE level OR 120 CATS points at level 1 in a relevant subject area.

Professional Skills Tests 

You have to pass the professional skills tests in numeracy and literacy before you begin your teacher training. These tests are compulsory and it will not be possible to enter training without having successfully completed them. You are able to book these tests in advance. The Department for Education (DfE) strongly advises you to take the tests soon after you have submitted an application.

As of February 2018 new changes to these tests means that you can make unlimited attempts and the first three attempts are free of charge. The DfE has also removed the lock-out period that previously prevented you from re-taking tests for two years.

You do not need to have completed these tests prior to making an application or attending an interview however your offer will be subject to successful completion.

The University of Brighton recognises that these tests may present a challenge to some candidates and we recommend that you prepare before attempting them. Further resources to help you with the numeracy test can be found in the 'Course in detail' section below.

Find out more about the tests including how to register and prepare on the DfE website.

Here is some useful advice to help you prepare for an interview if you are applying through Clearing 2018.

Experience

While experience in a school is not a condition of entry for initial teacher education courses we recommend that you take up opportunities to gain a realistic understanding of whether teaching is right for you. The Get Into Teaching School Experience Programme offers opportunities across the country to book a day’s worth of experience.

For non-native speakers of English

IELTS 6.5 overall, at least 6.0 in all four skills.

Other
Applicants from minority ethnic and other groups under-represented in the profession, including men in primary teaching, are particularly welcome.

Course in detail

Course structure

The course is split between tuition, placements and independent study, and covers everything you need to teach mathematics at secondary level.

Your university studies explore areas including education policy, learning styles, classroom management and special needs. Tutors help you to identify your strengths and areas for development with a bespoke learning programme.

While year 1 focuses on mathematics itself, in year 2, two-thirds of your time is spent on placements in two secondary schools. A school-based mentor works in partnership with your university tutor to provide expert support and training throughout.

You are assessed using a mixture of presentations, written assignments, placement reports and peer evaluations.

Year 1

Modules

Mathematics Subject Study Audit
Learning Mathematics in a Digital Age
Using and Applying Mathematics
Exploring Mathematics, Utilising Tools and Resources
The Fundamental, Historical and Cultural Roots of Mathematics
Thinking Mathematically and Developing Skills for Independent Learning

Year 2

Modules

Education Studies
Mathematics Education
Mathematics Subject Study
Secondary School Placement 1
Professional Studies including final school-based training period

School-based training

School-based training forms an important element of each year of study, developing your knowledge and understanding of being a teacher in a school setting.

Ofsted identify our approach to training in schools as a key strength of this course, with an excellent balance between university tuition and school-based training.

Organising your school-based training

Our Partnership Office will organise your placements for you. Each year we organise over 2,500 placements for our students. We work hard to ensure that you have placement opportunities that will give you valuable and varied experiences with the age group you are qualifying to teach.

How it works

You will be asked to complete a school-based training information form when you start your course and we will use this information to match you to a suitable placement. We will consider your previous experience, travelling distance, the age phases you wish to teach, and your current needs.

Once you have been matched to a placement, the team in the Partnership Office will confirm your school-based training as quickly as possible with the school, then contact you with the details. Almost all of our placements will be with partner schools in south-east England, most of them in East and West Sussex.

Study here

Why choose teaching at the University of Brighton?

We are rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted for initial teacher training
Our graduates benefit from excellent employment rates that are consistently above the sector average
We have 600 partner schools and colleges, offering varied placement opportunities to our students
We work closely with local authorities, schools, colleges and educational organisations ensuring that our students are kept up to date with the changing world of education
Our tutors are experts in their area of research and have published numerous academic publications
We offer several routes into teaching with the opportunity to engage in professional development after graduating
Enjoy outstanding facilities including dedicated studios, laboratories, the latest classroom technologies and more than 30,000 specialist resources for trainee teachers
We have a dedicated team to help you after you qualify, through our NQT support programme
We’re one of the UKs largest teacher training universities, educating teachers and leaders for over 100 years

Professional Skills Tests

Support for the skills tests

You have to pass the professional skills tests before you begin your teacher training. The University of Brighton recognises that these tests may present a challenge to some candidates and hope these support materials will help you to be fully prepared before attempting them.

Department for Education Practise Materials – You will find a range of support materials on this official site, including online tests.

Passing the Numeracy Skills Test – Book by Mark Patmore, including one practice test . Published February 2018. ISBN-13: 978-1526419231

How to Pass the QTS Numeracy and Literacy Skills Tests: Essential Practice for the Qualified Teacher Status Skills Tests - Book by Chris John Tyreman. Published July 2016. ISBN-13: 978-0749478292

Course statistics

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats enable you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Unistats data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Careers and employability

Mathematics teachers are always in high demand and our graduates consistently enjoy higher than sector average rates of employment. If you demonstrate a high level of understanding you may also be eligible for masters-level credits.

Although trained to teach in the 11 to 16-year age range, QTS is a universal qualification and many teachers teach other age ranges during their career. Some of our graduates also go on to be special educational needs teachers or head teachers.

If you are considering whether a career in teaching is for you, and you are a UK resident, the Department for Education’s School Experience Programme offers 1 to 10 days’ classroom experience in a secondary school. Find out more.

secondary education mathematics students

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,040 GBP

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2018–19.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.

The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Surrounded by the South Downs National Park and just five miles from the centre of Brighton, our Falmer campus has benefited from over £60million of investment over the past 10 years. 7,000 students are based here, studying subjects including English, education, social science, nursing and medicine.

Recent developments include the Falmer Sports Centre – with its fitness suites and sports hall – and the innovative Checkland Building, which has natural ventilation systems and an insulating green roof.

Falmer has also recently installed more than 600 solar panels, which reduce the campus’s carbon emissions by more than 80 tonnes. The renovation has made us one of the top universities in the UK for on-site renewable energy production.

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Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

We have halls of residence across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

Eligible students can apply for any of these options. Find out if you are eligible…
You’ll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Falmer campus is linked to halls on the Falmer campus and Varley Park.
- Varley Park offers a mix of rooms and catering options. Varley Park is less than a mile from Falmer and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
- Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on campus and offer a range of room types and catering options.

We also offer Unihomes and Unilets, student houses that we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option offers the most choice and flexibility and can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments.

There’s plenty of support if you choose private rented accommodation. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. And we run our housemates service over the summer for students, new and returning, looking for a place to live.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages.

Hillside hall of residence at Varley Park

Varley Park accommodation near to the Falmer campus

Student in our Moulsecoomb Place hall of residence

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Falmer campus

Find out more

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