We work in close partnership with schools in designing, delivering and assessing our programme. You have the opportunity to work with tutors who are actively engaged in research and are encouraged to take a critical view of policies and practice.
KEY BENEFITS
- The programme at King's is challenging and students are encouraged to take a critical view of policies and practice.
- It is a sociable course where you will be expected to work with others, discussing issues and problems about teaching.
- You have the opportunity to work with tutors who are actively engaged in research in their subject and about teaching.
- There is a chronic shortage of mathematics teachers which dates back at least 20 years. Currently there are many jobs available and excellent career prospects for good mathematics teachers.
- Located in the heart of London.
KEY FACTS
Student destinations
The majority of trainees go into teaching or other areas of education: many become heads of departments or members of senior management teams; some take up careers in educational administration in the advisory or inspection services.
Programme leader/s
Mr Chris Olley
Accreditation
Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is the accreditation which enables individuals to teach in state-maintained and special schools in England and Wales, recognising the attainment of a formal set of skills and qualities candidates require to be effective teachers.
Awarding Institution
King's College London
Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent)
UK 120/ECTS 60 credits
Duration
36 weeks FT, September to end June.
Location
Waterloo Campus.
Year of entry 2013
Offered by
School of Social Science and Public Policy
Department of Education and Professional Studies
Closing date
Approx. March, or until places are filled, subject to GTTR deadlines (check
http://www.gttr.ac.uk for latest vacancy information).
30.
Fees
FT Home: £9000 (2013)
FT Overseas: £14700 (2013)
CONTACTS
Contact information
Postgraduate Officer, Centre for Arts & Sciences Admissions (CASA)
tel: +44 (0) 20 7848 7207
fax: +44 (0) 20 7848 7200
Email
Website
PURPOSE
For those wishing to train as teachers of pupils aged 11-18 in Mathematics, the programme will lead to the DfE Standards for QTS which are assessed through teaching practice observation, portfolios and written assignments.
DESCRIPTION
The programme at King's is run by a team of well qualified tutors who have substantial experience of teaching in school and in training teachers, both in-service and initial training, and who are also engaged in current research activity of international quality. There is the opportunity to find out about the research projects which have been completed at King's and also those which are currently being undertaken. There is a good partnership with schools in Greater London and an external quality assessment has given very high ratings to the course. There is a continued contact with previous students, many of whom are employed in partnership schools.
College based time: You will work with other trainees and tutors in your subject area to consider the principles and practice of teaching your subject including curriculum design, the development of materials, classroom management and lesson planning. You will also work with trainees from other subjects in a programme of lectures and seminar groups to examine broad generic issues. During both secondary school placements there are occasional days in college for tutorials to support and monitor progress towards the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). There are cross-curricular research tasks and assignments.
School based time: For 24 of the 36 weeks the training takes place in schools, mainly in two complementary secondary schools but with two short primary school experiences. This introduces you to recognising key constituents of good teaching, helps develop your own teaching skills and gain an understanding of how schools work and how children learn.
STRUCTURE OVERVIEW
Core programme content
- Work in College
- Professional values and practice
- Support sessions
- First primary school placement
- Two secondary school placements
- Second primary school placement.
MODULES
- 7SSEP001: Professional Studies
- 7SSEP002: Focused Pedagogical Resources
- 6SSEP003: Professional Practice in Education
- 6SSEP004: Pedagogic Resources.
FORMAT AND ASSESSMENT
Course assessment: King's and its partnership schools assess trainees through their work in schools and college, coursework assignments and subject work assignments. To be awarded PGCE trainees must meet the Department for Education's (HM Government) Standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
ACADEMIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
General entry advice
An honours degree, with a classification of 2:2 or above, or a qualification recognised as equivalent by the University of London, of which at least half must be in mathematics. Hence, joint honours degrees in mathematics and some other discipline would be acceptable, whereas a single honours in engineering would not. Physics is considered equivalent to mathematics and some computing and engineering courses can be acceptable if there is a strong pure mathematics element. We will consider first degrees with some mathematics content less than the requirement if candidates are able to take a mathematics enhancement course, which is a 22 week fully funded course starting in the January of the course year. You need detailed knowledge and understanding of the subject you intend to teach, which is up to full A level mathematics. Hence, we require a high grade in at least one A level mathematics (or equivalent) plus GCSE grade C or above, or an equivalent qualification, in English Language and Mathematics. Applicants without these English or Mathematics qualifications at the time they apply may be considered, but they must obtain them, or pass an equivalent test set by King's, before the course starts. Candidates offered a place on a PGCE course must gain clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau. All entrants must meet the Secretary of State's requirements for physical and mental fitness for teaching as detailed in the DfES Circular 4/99.
APPLYING TO KING'S
To apply for graduate study at King's you will need to complete our graduate online application form. Applying online makes applying easier and quicker for you, and means we can receive your application faster and more securely.
King's does not normally accept paper copies of the graduate application form as applications must be made online. However, if you are unable to access the online graduate application form, please contact the relevant admissions/School Office at King's for advice.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applications are made through the central national system for applying for teacher training courses.
Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR),
Rosehill
New Barn Lane
Cheltenham GL52 3LZ
Tel: 01242 544788
PERSONAL STATEMENT & SUPPORTING INFORMATION
When you apply you will be asked to give us details of your educational background and to provide a personal statement. We will be looking for evidence that your knowledge of mathematics is both broad and deep. You need to show that you are taking the application seriously and that you have visited or plan to visit secondary schools – and not just your old school. Some evidence of working with young people, as a Teaching Assistant, Student Ambassador, youth worker, etc. will help your application. We are looking for applicants who are able to work closely and effectively with other teachers and who can inspire young people to bring out the best in themselves. As such, good communication skills and a confident and caring personality are an advantage.
FUNDING
Government Training Bursary: Those with a first class undergraduate degree will receive £20,000; those with a 2.1 will receive £15,000; those with a 2.2 will receive £12,000. Candidates with higher (e.g. MA, PhD) and/or overseas degrees shoud contact the Admissions Office for further guidance.
For further information about funding, please visit
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/graduate/funding/database/.
Related programme student profile
International Child Studies MAHaving studied Educational Science for my undergraduate degree in Germany, I chose the MA in Child Studies at King’s College in order to further my knowledge of child-related issues. I felt that in order to work with children successfully I needed to understand the different factors which contribute to a child’s welfare.
Courses in Child Studies were taught by university staff members as well as external lecturers, which enabled us to study current research and policy developments, as well as problems in practice settings. I particularly felt that the mixture of full- and part-time students was beneficial to the MA, as both groups were able to learn from each other’s experiences. The course work was demanding, but continuous supervision offered me the necessary support in order to reach a high academic standard.
After graduating from King’s College I returned to Germany in order to begin a training programme in child and adolescent psychotherapy. Already in my first week of work at a psychiatric unit I have had to draw upon the multidisciplinary knowledge which I had gained during my year in London. My studies at King’s College benefited me in so many ways and I can highly recommend this programme to anyone interested in a child-related career.