Course Leader: Irene Dallaway Gonzalez

What does the Sussex ITE partnership offer?

You can apply via UCAS to study for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) specialising in Mathematics. Alternatively, many schools work in partnership with the University to offer School Direct places which also lead to a Mathematics PGCE award. Either route will prepare you, as a trainee teacher, to teach Mathematics at Key Stages 3 and 4 (11-16 years) with enhancement opportunities in the Post-16 Mathematics curriculum.

This course can also be undertaken part-time over two years by suitable candidates. 

Successful trainees will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Why is Mathematics teacher education distinctive at Sussex?

By choosing to teach Mathematics, you are entering a profession that is exciting, dynamic and incredibly rewarding. The PGCE Mathematics course at Sussex is one of the most well-established Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses in the UK, and has a well-deserved reputation for developing successful Mathematics teachers with many Mathematics departments in local schools. The commitment of many local Mathematics teachers and professional tutors to this course has done a great deal to ensure its quality over the years. This dedicated involvement is greatly appreciated by trainees and university-based curriculum tutors.

On this course, we help you to develop a deeper understanding of the complex nature of Mathematics as a subject, and to consider the contribution of the subject to young people's education. We support you so that you can prepare for, and reflect on, your practical teaching skills in order to develop them alongside a critical awareness of relevant issues in education. We will equip you with the fundamental information, perspectives, insights and skills you need to be an effective Mathematics teacher.

We work creatively and professionally with curriculum/professional tutors and Mathematics teachers to enhance your understanding of teaching. The taught sessions we run are practically, as well as theoretically, driven to develop reflective, innovative and creative Mathematics teachers. Through a range of activities and approaches, we anticipate that beginning teachers from Sussex will establish themselves within a national community of Mathematics teachers who take pride in enthusing children about the subject by teaching them the skills to be successful learners and understand the relevance of Mathematics in everyday life.

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will learn to be a Mathematics teacher through a combination of taught sessions at the University and school-led professional development and classroom practice. You will start your course with a 2-3 week induction at the University in September, which is followed by a programme of lectures, seminars and workshops every Friday. These involve presentations, group work, role play, classroom modelling and peer teaching for which you will explore ideas and approaches and reflect on your own experiences.

Over the course of the acdemic year, you will undertake two periods of professional practice in two different schools (these may vary slightly in length, but will equate to a minimum of 120 working days in total). You will be supported in your professional placements by a Mathematics specialist who will act as a mentor, offering you tutorial support and developing a programme of practice-based professional studies for you. Your progress will be assessed through observations, feedback and discussion. To this end, you will create and maintain a portfolio of evidence demonstrating how you have met the various Teacher's Standards.

You will engage with the theoretical foundations of classroom practice and demonstrate the depth of your professional knowledge by completing three academic assignments during the course.

Additional entry requirements

To be accepted on this course, you must meet the partnership's established entry requirements for Initial Teacher Education. See 'Our Entry Requirements' at the bottom of our Applying web page. Additionally, given the significant competition for those applying for a place on the Mathematics Initial Teacher Education course specifically, you should be able to demonstrate the following:

• A strong knowledge and understanding of Mathematics, and a sound awareness of how the subject is currently taught within Secondary state schools
• A good honours degree (2:2 or above) in Mathematics. For other Mathematics-related degrees (eg. Accountancy, Economics, Engineering) candidates need to deminstrate that at least half of their degree was Mathematics-focused. Such candidates may need to undertake a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course before starting their teacher training course. Contact the Course Leader for further advice if you are unsure whether your degree meets the criteria.

Undertaking a short classroom type teaching task and showing an awareness of the curriculum and school life is part of our interview process, so candidates may wish to prepare themselves by spending some time in an appropriate school setting for the subject/phase they intend to teach beforehand.

How to apply

Applications for all Initial Teacher Education courses are made online via the Government's Department for Education website. See also our 'Applying' web page for a step-by-step process for how to apply to train to teach at Sussex.

Funding

See our Scholarships, fees and living costs web page for information on fees and eligibility for financial support. Specific information on bursaries, financial incentives and other sources of funding for Initial Teacher Education are available on our PGCE & School Direct Trainee Fees & Bursaries: 2023 and from the Department for Education.

Enquiries

See full details of the Secondary Mathematics PGCE course at Sussex on the Prospectus.

General enquiries about any ITE course, including application queries, should be directed to the ITE admissions team:
E: iteadmissions@sussex.ac.uk 

Specific course enquiries can be directed to the Course Leader:
E: i.gonzalez@sussex.ac.uk