Mathematics and Education Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship
New for 2025, our Mathematics and Education Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship, offers a pioneering route for education providers to develop secondary maths teachers within their school or trust.
Removing the need for a candidate to hold a degree prior to joining, the new teacher degree apprenticeship allows schools to greatly increase their talent pool, and offers a new career path for aspiring teachers, enabling them to gain experience working in a school from the outset. The programme enables apprentices to develop a deep understanding of mathematics alongside the specialist skills, knowledge and behaviours required to be an engaging maths teacher.
Delivered by our School of Education, which is ranked top 10 in the UK and top 50 worldwide in the QS World Rankings 2024 for education and training, apprentices will be accessing a programme from a top-tier institution, with a long history of producing exceptional teachers.
We would encourage you to read all the information on this page, but if you are re-visiting the page to find specific information, you can use the links below for quick navigation.
Fact file
| Qualifications |
BSc (Hons) Mathematics and Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
Mathematics and Education Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Certificate |
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| Duration |
46 months (not including end-point assessment) |
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| Entry requirements |
BCC at A level with a B in maths.
The following A levels are not accepted: citizenship skills, general studies, and critical thinking.
The University of Nottingham is committed to widening participation and can provide contextual offers to students whose personal circumstances may have affected their academic achievement. These offers are usually one grade lower than the standard entry requirements for a course but will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Please contact our Employer Engagement Team to discuss the suitability of this programme for your candidate.
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| Eligibility requirements |
All apprentices must:
- hold a level 2 (equivalent to grades 4-9 at GCSE) or above in English language and mathematics or equivalent, prior to admission
- be working in a job role that provides opportunities to apply and develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours from the programme, outlined in the Level 6 Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Standard
- work a minimum of 50% of their time in England
- have access to the off-the-job training detailed in their individual learning plan
- be a UK/EU/EEA national or have lived and have had a right to work in the UK for three years or more
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| Start date |
August 2025 |
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| Application deadline |
July 2025, however we recommend contacting our Employer Engagement Team as soon as possible if you are interested in accessing this programme. |
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| Programme fees |
£27,000
Programme fees are paid by the employer. This can be via the apprenticeship levy or employers may be eligible for at least 95% government co-investment. There is no cost to the apprentice. Read the university's funding information to find out more. |
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| Campus |
University Park campus |
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Who is the Mathematics and Education Secondary Degree Apprenticeship for?
Our Mathematics and Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship offers schools a new route to develop existing staff or recruit new beginner teachers to their organisation. The programme does not require potential apprentices to hold an undergraduate degree, therefore we expect to welcome apprentices from a range of backgrounds, including those completing their A levels, as well as those already working in schools or looking for a career change.
To access this apprenticeship, candidates must be employed in a job role that provides opportunities to learn the skills, knowledge and behaviours outlined in the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Standard. Potential apprentices may have already identified an employing school, but if not, we can support eligible apprentices to find a suitable apprenticeship vacancy.
The university supports the schools they partner with on this apprenticeship to recruit eligible apprentices. To discuss a candidate’s suitability for the programme, please contact our Employer Engagement Team.
Department for Education funding pilot
The university is one of eight providers that have been accepted onto the funding pilot for the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship in Mathematics.
This means that eligible employers accessing the university’s programme in September 2025 will be able to claim financial support towards apprentice salary costs.
This is not to be confused with programme fees which can be paid from the apprenticeship levy or via at least 95% government co-investment for eligible employers.
Programme details
The Mathematics and Education Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship is a four-year programme leading to Qualified Teacher Status.
Apprentices will be full-time employees within a school and will typically spend 40% of their contracted working hours undertaking off-the-job training over the duration of the programme. This is training that happens away from the apprentices' day-to-day duties, typically face-to-face at the university but may include self-directed study and online learning.
To enable apprentices to deliver impact in their schools, the university’s programme weights off-the-job training into the early years, supporting apprentices to quickly develop the fundamental skills, knowledge and behaviours that will enable them to progress into dynamic, engaging secondary maths teachers.
This will typically look like three days off-the-job training in year one, reducing each year as apprentices become more autonomous in their work and able to undertake more independent teaching.
Modules
Our Mathematics and Education Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship is underpinned by a spiral curriculum that supports apprentices to gradually build up, and deepen, their knowledge, skills and understanding as an inclusive, effective teacher.
Drawing on the expertise of the School of Mathematical Science and the cutting-edge research within the School of Education, there is a continual focus on:
- developing a deep understanding of mathematics
- understanding special educational needs and the role of the teacher as an inclusive practitioner
- exploring mental health and wellbeing and developing strategies to both support young people and develop emotional resilience as a professional
Year one
Apprentices will develop the basics for becoming a teacher, understanding the role of the teacher and how children learn. They will learn how to build relationships and effectively work with individual pupils, planning for undertaking a range of roles in their employing school.
Apprentices are introduced to big ideas in education that challenge existing preconceptions about schools, communities and pupils and support them to start developing the skills and behaviours of inclusive practitioners. In their schools apprentices will be observing experts, understanding how these core skills are implemented in the workplace.
The maths content will build upon pre-existing knowledge, focusing on the development of skills, knowledge and confidence in applying a range of concepts and techniques required across the spectrum of maths. Apprentices are introduced to logical reasoning and rigorous mathematical thinking as applied to linear algebra and real analysis.
Modules
All modules are 20 credits
- Becoming a Teacher 1
- Becoming a Teacher 2
- Becoming a Teacher 3
- Mathematics Subject Knowledge for Teaching 1
- Mathematics Subject Knowledge for Teaching 2
- Mathematics for Subject Knowledge for Teaching 3
Year two
Building on the knowledge, skills and behaviours gained in year one, apprentices develop their classroom management skills, understanding curriculum and assessment and planning lessons and sequences of learning. They will continue to explore big ideas in education enabling them to develop as an inclusive practitioner. In their schools apprentices will begin to increase their teaching experiences (under supervision), practising these core skills.
Apprentices continue to develop their own understanding of maths, focusing on applied statistics and probability and modelling as well as continuing to build a ‘toolkit’ of fundamental maths concepts and techniques.
Apprentices develop their maths subject knowledge for teaching, conceptualising the development of mathematical ideas from KS1 to undergraduate level, enabling them to understand how their teaching forms part of the wider development of a pupil’s mathematics education.
Modules
All modules are 20 credits
- Becoming a Teacher 4
- Becoming a Teacher 5
- Becoming a Teacher 6
- Mathematics Subject Knowledge for Teaching 4
- Mathematics Subject Knowledge for Teaching 5
- Mathematics for Subject Knowledge for Teaching 6
Year three
In year three apprentices continue to develop as a teacher, building on previous years’ learning to embed their skills and knowledge. In their schools apprentices will gradually increase their teaching experiences and may, where appropriate, begin to undertake some independent whole class teaching to practise these skills.
Apprentices continue to explore big ideas in education to develop as an inclusive practitioner including in-depth exploration of refugee education, aspects of special educational needs and disabilities and mental health.
Apprentices consolidate their personal maths knowledge, exploring new ideas. They will build upon their maths knowledge for teaching, further developing their skills in planning and effective task design.
Modules
All modules are 20 credits
- Maximising Potential as a Teacher 1
- Maximising Potential as a Teacher 2
- Maximising Potential as a Teacher 3
Year four
In year four, apprentices will be spending 90% of their time in school undertaking duties related to their role. It is expected at this point that apprentices will have sole responsibility for some classes and will be regularly undertaking independent whole class teaching.
Apprentices will collaborate with experts and undertake new teaching experiences under supervision.
Apprentices consolidate their knowledge, skills and behaviours to fulfil their potential as competent and confident secondary maths teachers.
Apprentices undertake a small-scale practice-based inquiry project.
Modules
All modules are 20 credits
- Maximising Potential as a Teacher 4
- Maximising Potential as a Teacher 5
- Maximising Potential as a Teacher 6
The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may be changed, renamed, reorganised or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the programme due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments, or staffing changes or changing demands of industry. The university shall ensure that modules and programme continue to adhere to the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSB) required of the applicable Apprenticeship Standard, which are fundamental to any programme of delivery. This content was last updated on 14 February 2025.
Gateway and end-point assessment (EPA)
To complete the apprenticeship, apprentices must pass through a gateway review and complete the end-point assessment. For the Mathematics and Education Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship this means apprentices must:
- evidence that they have developed the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship standard – these are the teacher's standards
- pass all the degree modules
What duties will apprentices undertake in their schools?
Apprentices will be trainee teachers within their schools and will undertake duties that will allow them to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Standard.
While they are developing in their roles, apprentices will be delivering impact in their schools by working in areas such as interventions, small group teaching, and pastoral care, expanding their remit as they progress.
Why choose the Mathematics and Education Secondary Teacher Degree Apprenticeship at the University of Nottingham?
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Our School of Education is top 10 in the UK and top 50 worldwide in the QS World Rankings 2024 by Subject, and our initial teacher education provision is rated outstanding by Ofsted
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We work with approximately 150 schools in the region and have a long history of collaborative working, demonstrating the richness of our offer
- Our on-programme employers rate us as excellent as a training provider for our degree apprenticeship provision (correct as of December 2024 on gov.uk)
Apprenticeship features
Skills scan
As part of the application and enrolment process, we carry out an individual needs assessment. This will enable us to determine apprentices' existing levels of skill and knowledge and build a personal plan which will set out all the learning, tutorial support, and resources provided by the university.
Tripartite reviews
As part of our continued support for apprentices and the degree apprenticeship, we offer tripartite reviews between employer, apprentice and the university to formally assess progress in the academic programme and work-based learning
Assessment
Assessments are coursework based and focus on how academic learning is applied in the workplace.
This provides the opportunity for work-based examples to demonstrate the application of the knowledge, skills and behaviours gained from off-the-job training.
Support team
Each of our degree apprenticeship programmes are designed to include full support for the apprentice and their employer. Throughout the programme we provide:
- an account manager to support and guide employers
- a degree apprenticeship officer to support each apprentice