The University traces its history of teacher education back to 1890 and the opening of one of five national day training colleges in the city.  By the middle of the 20th century, the University College had become the ultimate body responsible for teacher education in the East Midlands, validating courses in the Colleges of Education across the region.

Over our long involvement in teacher education, the University has trained thousands of mathematics teachers for secondary schools.  More recently, in particular since 2013, we have also established a strong reputation for our primary teacher education.  In both primary and secondary teacher education – both consistently rated Outstanding by Ofsted – we collaborate with a large regional partnership of schools, as well as other local school-based ITT providers.

And our influence in initial teacher education reaches nationally; the current chair of the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers is part of our team, and we have been central to the Russell Group’s advice to the DfE on teacher education policy.

 Further information on teacher training

Mathematical sciences has been taught at The University of Nottingham since 1882.  Former students include Nobel prize winner Sir Clive Granger and Fields medal winner Caucher Birkar.  Sir Adrian Smith, a leading Bayesian statistician who went on to become president of the Royal Society and write government reports on post-16 education, is a former head of the school.

Today, the School of Mathematical Sciences continues to provide excellent teaching, develop innovative research and support cutting-edge industrial developments.  It offers training to undergraduate and postgraduate students across a breadth of pure and applied mathematics, mathematical physics, and statistics and probability; and it is a top-10 department for mathematics research excellence in the UK.

The School promotes participation in mathematics education through pioneering new degree apprenticeships for those in employment, hosting events to promote women in maths, running summer schools and masterclasses for disadvantaged students, and providing paid internship opportunities.

Further information on the School of Mathematical Sciences 

Members of the team have supported the two Maths Hubs centred close to Nottingham: East Midlands East and East Midlands West. We provide representation on the strategic boards of both hubs and particulate in NCETM-led Local Leader of Mathematics Education networks. We also actively support the work of both Hubs in project delivery and on professional development workgroups with local schools. These include workgroup lead training; Early Years provision; mixed attainment teaching; subject knowledge development for Early Career Teachers; Key Stage 2 to 3 transition; subject lead networks.

More information about maths hubs can be found below:

East Midlands West Maths Hub

East Midlands East Maths Hub

The Advanced Mathematics Support Programme is a government-funded initiative, led by charity MEI, aiming to increase participation in Core Maths, AS/A level Mathematics and Further Mathematics, and supporting the teaching of these qualifications. The university's School of Mathematical Sciences employs the AMSP area coordinator for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, delivering professional development for teachers, enrichment for GCSE pupils and additional tuition for post-16 students in state schools across the region.

Further information the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme

The University of Nottingham 16-19 Maths school will open in 2025 and become part of a growing network of university maths schools https://umaths.ac.uk/.  Members of our team have been involved in the developments.

The new school is a partnership between the University and the East Midlands Education Trust; a unique Sixth Form provision for the whole of the East Midlands. The school will be a centre of excellence, providing a specialised curriculum for students who have a passion and flair for mathematics in preparation for them to excel in mathematics and related degrees at university.

Students with an aptitude for mathematics will be able to study A levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science. Specialist teachers at the school will work alongside colleagues and students from the University of Nottingham to deliver an exciting, challenging and ambitious curriculum for the region’s most gifted mathematically minded students from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Further information on the UoN Maths School