Mathematics SKE

Our flexible online mathematics SKE course is designed to help you develop mathematical concepts at a deeper level and see beyond the rules and conventions you may have become comfortable with. It gives you a contemporary perspective on the learning of mathematics and a sound awareness of how the subject is currently taught within secondary state schools.

Study a Mathematics SKE course at Sussex

You will have the opportunity to address gaps and develop knowledge of mathematics at KS3, GCSE and A-Level while exploring aspects of how mathematics is taught in secondary schools. You will leave the course feeling well-prepared to progress to the next stage of your teaching journey.

You will be supported by experienced practitioners who have gathered together an extensive bank of resources and learning materials.

You will learn key concepts, deepen your understanding of the subject and improve your mathematical skills while also engaging with scholarship, literature and research.

You will be assessed through various methods including a subject knowledge audit, individual portfolio, online topic tests and written reflections. Access to examination questions will allow you to test yourself and monitor your progress against recognised criteria.

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Special offer for ITT applicants with SKE as a condition of offer

As our DfE funding has reached it’s limit, and applications are now closed, we are offering a special, one off discount for the remainder of the 2025/26 academic year. This offer applies to applicants who are due to begin their Initial Teacher Training in September 2026 and who are required to complete an SKE as a condition of their offer *

The standard cost of an SKE is £800 for the first 100 hour unit and £500 for each additional 100 hour unit. Under this offer, each 100 hour unit will cost only £400. For example, a 200-hour course (8 weeks equivalent) would normally cost £1,300.00 (£800 + £500), the reduced cost would be £800.00.

*We will request evidence of the conditional offer following receipt of your application.

This discounted offer will close at the end of June 2026.

Course structure

Our online Sussex Mathematics SKE is available as either a Department for Education (DfE)-funded or a self-funded course . The course lengths available are:

DfE-funded: 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 or 28 weeks

Self-funded: 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 or 600 hours.

Once you have enrolled, with the support of our experienced staff and based on your individual requirements you will be able to select a suitable combination of the following units:

Mathematics SKE units
Level	Content	Duration
KS3	Key Stage 3 content	4 weeks (100 hours)
KS4	GCSE content including Foundation and Higher-level topics	8 weeks (200 hours)
KS5	A-Level content including Geometry and Measures, Graphs, Statistics and Mechanics	8 weeks (200 hours)
Preparing to teach	Exploring mathematics in a wider context, alongside developing skills in organisation and communication	4 weeks (100 hours)
Expanding your knowledge	Additional exploration of the mathematics you have studied to deepen your knowledge. Consider how mathematics learning is reviewed in literature	4 weeks (100 hours)

Eligibility and funding

There are two possible funding routes for this course – DfE-funded or self-funded.

DfE-funded route

DfE applications for this academic year are now closed and will reopen in the 2026/27 academic year.

SKE courses are funded by the Department for Education (DfE), through an SKE bursary, if you have been offered a place on a PGCE course with enrolment on an SKE course as a condition of acceptance.

You will need one of the following qualifications:

a bachelor’s degree class 2:2 or above
a masters degree
a PhD.

The SKE bursary is paid in arrears, on successful completion of each 4-week block. Once you are registered you will be able to access details of our deadlines and payment dates.

We can only pay the bursary once your teacher training provider has confirmed your eligibility and the DfE have approved the claim (we will do this on your behalf).

If you are still completing your degree, we cannot make any payments until your final grade has been confirmed and sent to us.

You should complete your SKE course before starting your teacher training. If you run out of time, you may be allowed to continue your SKE course at the same time as your teacher training. But if you get an SKE bursary, your payments will stop once your teacher training starts. This is because you may then be eligible for other financial support for example a subject bursary or tuition fee loan.

If you are an international student you may be eligible for the DfE-funded SKE, subject to eligibility checks, but you would not be eligible for the bursary.

Find out more about SKE eligibility and funding.

Self-funded route

If you’re not eligible for DfE funding, you can self-fund your SKE.

Learn more about how to self-fund your SKE.

Resources

In addition to input from specialist subject tutors, as a student at the University of Sussex you will receive:

Access to Dr Frost, where you can master maths at your own pace. We use Dr Frost Maths because it is used by real teachers and students. In fact 7500+ schools use it in 133 countries, including at least three-quarters of all secondary schools in England, and it has around 3 million daily page views
a fully paid subscription to ExamPro, a database of past KS3, GCSE and A-level exam questions
access to thousands of relevant e-books through our Library
licensed software such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Pro
access to Box of Broadcasts, a huge collection of documentaries, schools TV, films and drama that you can stream for free.