PGCE Secondary Mathematics

Overview & facilities

The Middlesex University PGCE Secondary Mathematics course in London equips you to inspire pupils through the use of engaging interactive workshops, lectures and structured debates. Maths teachers are very much in demand and in recognition of its priority status, the Government is offering training bursaries of up to £20,000 (for September 2012 entry) during your course, depending on your degree class.

It doesn't matter if you don't have a first degree in maths, as the admissions tutor may decide that by first completing our Subject Knowledge Enhancement course starting in the preceding January, you can develop the subject knowledge necessary to join the PGCE course.

The PGCE Secondary Mathematics course at Middlesex University aims to prepare you for the teaching profession. It will:

• Enable you to develop knowledge and understanding of pupils and their learning
• Develop your expertise in highly specialised professional skills in a context where you'll need to exercise initiative and take personal responsibility for decision making in complex and unpredictable situations
• Equip you with the pedagogic knowledge, understanding and skills to teach effectively across the 11-16 age range
• Develop your knowledge and understanding of the Secondary mathematics curriculum
• Enable you to understand, critically evaluate and respond to the needs of children in multicultural, multilingual and multifaith settings and schools in an international, urban environment.

Maths subject studies investigates the structure of the Mathematics curriculum through number and algebra, shape, space and measures, and handling data. You will be expected to provide evidence of your own development in teaching and learning through a Personal Mathematics Portfolio, which is the main vehicle for the assessment. 

You will be involved in designing, producing, teaching and evaluating a range of materials currently used to support Mathematics in the secondary school. An example of this is the use of a specific software application to develop numeracy. Information Communication Technology is integrated throughout the course and it is essential that you are familiar with a Windows environment and have access to a PC at home.

Two thirds (120 days) of the PGCE Secondary Mathematics course will be on placement. You receive personal attention through regular tutor visits to school placements and individual tutorials. Schools are carefully selected to expose you to imaginative and thought provoking teaching and learning strategies.We have excellent relationships with schools in north London, Essex and Hertfordshire and many of our graduates go on to work in their first teaching job at the schools where they had a placement.

In 2010, the PGCE Secondary course at Middlesex was awarded a Grade 1 in training, and overall was rated Good with Outstanding Features. This supplements the Grade 1 for management and quality assurance awarded in 2007. This is an outstanding result for such a diverse provider of teacher training and ensures growth in numbers in the years to come.

Content & modules

Subject studies: A structured programme of subject teaching methodology and application workshops and seminars.

School-based studies: You are required to spend two-thirds (120 days) of the programme in school. We have developed a partnership scheme with 150 participating secondary schools situated throughout the North London boroughs, Essex and Hertfordshire. In each school you will be assigned a personal mentor who is a subject teacher. You will experience two consecutive secondary school placements. The objective of the school experience is to develop your generic and subject teaching skills to at least the level of competence expected of a newly qualified teacher.

Professional studies: This is a programme of lectures and seminars focusing on contemporary issues in education and professional development. This part of the programme takes place partly at the University and partly at school by lectures, workshops and seminars to mixed subject groups.  

Subject studies are assessed by a portfolio of coursework and a school-based special study (a teaching resource). Progressive developments of teaching skills are recorded using criteria referenced assessment proforma. Professional studies are assessed by a range of written tasks. Observation of the students, teaching and evaluative discussions with course tutors and school based mentors and teachers.

You will find this an intensive 36-week, five-days-a-week programme, during which you will also have directed work to carry out during the Christmas and Easter holiday periods.

After you complete the course, you can gain QTS following a successful probationary period as an employee in a school, combined with the Training and Development Agency (TDA) tests in numeracy, literacy and ICT.

The programme complies fully with the current requirements of the Training and Development Agency.

Modules

Studies in your Specialist Subject (two modules, see individual subject descriptions for details, includes Professional Studies)
You will develop the knowledge and skills required to teach your chosen subject. You will be able to identify and evaluate effective strategies for assessing children's learning in the selected subject, through formative and summative assessment strategies. You will critically evaluate the effectiveness of a wide range of resources and your own lesson plans. You will understand the importance of literacy, numeracy and ICT in delivering an effective curriculum and as transferable skills. You will analyse research data and critically evaluate how research has contributed to the knowledge and understanding of how to teach your subject effectively.

School Experience 1
Through this School Experience, you will apply the knowledge, understanding and skills you have gained through study, to practical situations. Your experience will develop your powers of organisation and methods of control. You will develop your ability to plan, implement and evaluate schemes of work and lesson plans. You will also identify targets to be achieved in the second placement. You will consider the school as an organisation and discern the various roles of the teacher. You will monitor the lessons and activities that school students experience in a school day and work alongside subject specialists in a learning partnership role.

School Experience 2
You will be advised of your second placement at the end of placement 1. You will be assessed by Subject Mentors to determine your readiness and confidence. You will then be introduced to your classes and take a few days for class observation. You will be required to maintain a Trainee’s Progression File. Your Subject Mentor will review this file during their day visit, during which time they will also observe you at work and develop a suitable work timetable. You will do approximately 60% of the contact time of a qualified teacher. Some time will also be reserved for limited observation of teachers of other subjects outside your own specialism.

Entry & applying

For the PGCE Secondary Mathematics you need a first degree in a related subject at 2:2 or above. However it is possible that you may be able to join the course with any first degree by first completing a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course, which begins in the preceding January. You are also required to have qualifications in English and mathematics equivalent to GCSE grade C.

We also require you to have completed at least two weeks in a Secondary school setting in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland prior to applying.

English language requirements

You must have competence in English language and we normally require Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification. The most common English Language requirements for international students are IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL (paper based) 575 or TOEFL (internet based) 90 with specified minimum scores for each component. For details of other equivalent English language requirements that Middlesex accepts see international entry requirements

How to Apply

Applications are made through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry.

Fees & funding

For PGCE Secondary Mathematics, the tuition fee for the 2012/2013 academic year for UK/EU students is £9,000.
For PGCE Secondary Mathematics, the tuition fee for the 2012/2013 academic year for International students is £10,600.

Find out about our flexible payment plans for UK/EU students, and how they can help you spread the cost of your course.

The TDA offers generous bursaries for selected PGCE Secondary Maths students, up to £20,000. Please check the bursary page of the TDA website for further details.

Careers & placements

Our Careers Service offers you a range of support both while you’re studying with us – and after you’ve graduated.

Placements

Work placements are integral to the PGCE Secondary Mathematics degree. Our course is well-known for having a strong and committed partnership with local schools, whose mentors and class teachers train with the University. As a student, you will have the opportunity for rich and varied placements in the multilingual, multicultural and multifaith schools.