Postgraduate Certificate Primary Mathematics

• Overview

  We are passionate about transforming children’s lives and inspiring change. Our Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mathematics has the ambitious target of ensuring that every school has access to a mathematics teacher trained at Masters’ level.

  This programme is based on the highly successful MaST course, which we have lead across a wide range of local authorities since 2009 with over 700 successful graduates.

  Course

  Highlights

  • strengthen your own practice whilst also having a sustainable impact upon your school’s professional development
  • enhance your own mathematical reasoning and relate this to effective teaching in the classroom
  • develop your understanding and practice as a leader of mathematics within your own school context

  Apply Now Open Days

  
• Course Details

  The Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mathematics is for qualified teachers who wish to transform their own teaching practice and make an impact upon the mathematics teaching and learning within their own school. During the course we focus on mathematical thinking, reasoning and problem solving in primary mathematics without any assumption of pre-existing mathematical knowledge.

  You will enhance your own mathematical reasoning and relate this to effective teaching in the classroom. We support you to work with colleagues in your school to develop mathematics teaching and learning through a range of professional strategies, such as coaching and mentoring.

  In this way, the programme encourages you to strengthen your own practice whilst also having a sustainable impact upon your school’s professional development. Through this programme you will attain professional recognition as a primary mathematics specialist teacher, giving you the confidence to teach and lead in this subject.

  This course is Masters’ level professional development for primary mathematics teachers. It focuses on new and evolving aspects of maths teaching such as fluency, reasoning and mastery. It therefore reflects prevailing government agendas.

  You will have the opportunity to

  • enhance your mathematical subject and teaching knowledge
  • further understand how your pupils learn mathematics
  • evaluate your own learning to improve your teaching practice
  • build your collaborative and leadership skills through peer coaching
  • learn how to develop your schools’ approach to mathematics teaching and learning

  Assessments

  In the first module, you will have two assignments. The first is a reflective discussion of your own mathematical learning with an activity, which you then relate to children’s learning for the same activity. For the second assignment you will mentor or coach a colleague and reflect on their development as well as your own as a mathematics leader.

  In the second module, you will undertake a small research project that develops an aspect of mathematics teaching at your school. You will reflect on everything you have learned to suggest an improvement and lead the project in school.

  The assignment submission is a final research report in which you will analyse and reflect on the impact of this development in your school. For all of the assignments you will receive personalised tutorials and feedback on drafts.

  Methods of Learning

  You will be taught in a variety of methods including face-to-face tutorials and workshops as well as online blended activities. There are four compulsory Saturday Conferences of face-to-face sessions, as well astwo teachmeet meetings for each of the two modules. The Saturday Conferences are held at Waterside Campus, starting at 9am and usually finishing around 4.30pm with light refreshments included.  Dates for each of these Saturday Conferences for each module will be in:

  Module 1: February 2020 to August 2020

  Saturday conferences: 28th March 2020, 2nd May 2020, 16th May 2020, 13th June 2020

  Additional TeachMeets: Friday 7th February 2020, Friday 3rd April 2020, Friday 26th June 2020

  Module 2: September 2020 to August 2021

  Dates to be confirmed

  Further tuition on the course is arranged through blended learning approaches on our dedicated online NILE course site. Our library is stocked with a very large range of e-resources that will facilitate your independent learning at a distance.

  Schedule

  Teaching activities, workshops and seminars, online tutorial and support: 30 study hours
  Directed tasks and network sessions: 50 study hours
  Directed reading: 50 study hours
  Self-directed study: 70 study hours
  Assessment activity: 100 study hours
  There are face to face session for each of the two cohorts

  Read more

  Additional

  Information

  Your application

  To complete your application you will need to upload:

  • A completed Headteacher and Additional Information form, which includes a personal statement
  • Copy of QTS certificate
  • Copy of Degree certificate
  • Any Change of Name Document (eg marriage certificate) if your qualifications are in a different name to your current surname
  • Photo ID (eg passport, driving licence)
  • Proof of funding (eg either a pdf on letterheaded paper from your sponsor or a purchase order). If you are self-funded, payment options are available.

  For additional information, contact the programme leader Amanda O’Shea:
  amanda.oshea@northampton.ac.uk

• Careers and Events
  • Open Days

    See for yourself

    Our Open Days offer you a fantastic opportunity to get a real taste of university life at Northampton and discover how studying here will be a life-changing experience.

    Each Open Day has a postgraduate stall, where you can speak with tutors about the postgraduate courses that interest you, to give you all the information you need about studying at the University of Northampton.

    To find out more about the day, please feel free to have a look at our Open Day Guide.

    
  • Careers

    The qualification from this course will recognise your skills as an excellent teacher and leader of primary mathematics teaching and learning. Some teachers have progressed into roles as leaders of mathematics in schools. Others have set up their own companies producing teaching and learning resources based on the principles of the programme. Furthermore, you could also gain additional modules and complete the full MA in Education through the Mathematics Pathway.

    
• Requirements

  Any qualified teacher working within a Primary School setting is eligible to apply. You do not need to be a leading mathematics teacher or a mathematics coordinator, but you will require the recommendation and support of your Head Teacher.

  For more information on how to make an application for this course, please visit our How to Apply page.

  English Language Requirements

  All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

  • Minimum standard – IELTS 7.0 (or equivalent)
    for study at postgraduate level.

  For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

  Contacts

  Course enquiries
  study@northampton.ac.uk

  Application status enquiries
  admissions2020@northampton.ac.uk

  Current student enquiries
  SID@northampton.ac.uk

  International student enquiries
  international@northampton.ac.uk

  Enquire online
  Online enquiry form

  Applying for 2020
  Facebook Applicant Group

  Office hours:
  Mon – Thu: 9am – 5pm
  Fri: 9am – 4.30pm

  Phone Call

  0300 303 2772

  +44 (0)1604 892134

  +44 (0)1604 892546

• Course Content
  • Level 7

  • Leading Learning in Primary Mathematics (30 Credits)
    Module code: EDUM147

    Core Module Y
  • Developing Primary Mathematics (30 Credits)
    Module code: EDUM148

    Core Module Y

  • Reading List
    • Askew, M. (2007) Transforming primary mathematics. London: Routledge.
    • Barmby, P., Bilsborough, L., Harries, T. and Higgins, S. (2009) Primary mathematics: teaching for understanding. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
    • Boaler, J. (2009) The elephant in the classroom: helping children learn and love maths. London: Souvenir Press.
    • Gifford, S. (2005) Teaching mathematics 3-5: developing learning in the foundation stage. Maidenhead: Open University Press
    • Lee, C. (2006) Language for Learning Mathematics: Assessment for learning in practice. Maidenhead: Open University Press
    • Littleton, C. & Mercer, N. (2013) Interthinking: Putting talk to work. London: Routledge
    • Mason, J., Burton, L. & Stacey, K (2010) Thinking Mathematically. 2nd Edn. Harlow: Pearson

  Continuing Professional Development

  We recognise that some teachers may wish to attend the course for professional development without the requirement to complete assignments. This option is available for those teachers wishing to benefit from the course content by attending the Saturday Conferences, but for whom the Postgraduate Certificate assessment is not suitable. A certificate of attendance will be provided upon successful completion of this CPD route. Further details of this option can be obtained by emailing the Course Leader, Dr Amanda O’Shea, at Amanda.OShea@northampton.ac.uk.

  Facilities &

  Special Features

  The success of this course is attributable to the direct impact on teaching and learning across your whole school. By continuing your own professional development, you will be able to lead change in mathematics teaching to benefit all of your colleagues and pupils. This course enables you to:

  • attend workshops and network with a range of teachers within your own subject
  • engage in personalised CPD that is relevant to your own development as well as that of your school
  • reflect on shared enquiry with colleagues and develop your own confidence to lead
  • undertake CPD tasks that link theory and research to your own and colleagues’ classroom practices
  • have continual online support from course tutors
  • have opportunities to join existing practitioner communities extending and sharing good practice
  • gain recognition as a Specialist Teacher in mathematics
  • use the 60 credits gained from this programme to complete a full Master’s in Mathematics Education by completing further modules
• Further Studies
  • Research

    We are committed to delivering outstanding research that makes a difference to society. Our Research Institutes and Centres work closely with external partner organisations, locally, nationally and internationally. We produce internationally renowned and relevant research and disseminate knowledge on an international scale.

    Visit our Research Hub page for more information.

    
  • Business and Enterprise

    We are committed to supporting and encouraging business growth and we are involved in a variety of initiatives which seek to benefit the wider community as well as students and staff of the University.

    Discover what businesses we work with and what opportunities may be available to you on our Business and Enterprise pages.

    
• Fees & Funding
  • UK & EU

  20/21 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 20/21 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  Part Time: £2,475 (60 credits)

  The fee includes all costs for Network meetings and Saturday Conferences. It does not include school cover and travel costs. Schools are often willing to help with costs and some Local Authorities will also support students.

  19/20 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 19/20 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  Part Time: £2,250 (60 credits)

  The fee includes all costs for Network meetings and Saturday Conferences. It does not include school cover and travel costs. Schools are often willing to help with costs and some Local Authorities will also support students.

  Scholarships

  TD Lewis Scholarship

  The T D Lewis Scholarship provides both undergraduate and postgraduate students with financial awards of up to £1,000.  This scholarship is awarded on educational excellence…

  The Chancellor's Fund

  The Chancellor’s Fund is a bi-annual fund providing students with awards of between £100 and £1,000. You must be a current student to apply.  The…

*Course data provided by Unistats