Teaching Advanced Mathematics (TAM) 2016-17
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions relate to the TAM course for teachers in state-funded schools and colleges in England
who will be teaching A level Mathematics in 2016-17.
Please note that these questions relate to the funded TAM course which DOES NOT carry
Masters level accreditation.
At each centre there will be eight course days. The course fee is £600. On course completion, schools
and colleges of participants are entitled to £900 in recognition of the support they provided to their
colleague.
1. How do I enrol on the 2016-17 courses?
Online application forms are now available at mei.org.uk/tam-course This is an MEI application form and
is the only way to enrol on the course.
2. What qualification will I earn?
You are able to complete the TAM Certificate. The elements which comprise the TAM Certificate are
actively participating in all course days, passing an assessed lesson observation and passing three
mathematics assignments. The three mathematics assignments are based on past exam-style
questions. These are requested by the participant, posted to their home address and must be returned a
week later.
3. What does the course fee cover?
The fee covers the course days, access to approximately forty recordings of online lessons, access to
live online lessons, two years’ access to MEI’s online Integral resources including additional extensive
course materials, and textbooks covering A level Mathematics. Participants will have the option of
attending an additional CPD event for Statistics or Mechanics, at a subsidised rate. There will also be
support for developing the use of dynamic geometry software (e.g. GeoGebra).
4. What are the criteria for being accepted onto the course?
Applicants must be teaching in state-funded schools and colleges in England. In addition they must have
a minimum of one hour per week of A level Mathematics or equivalent1 on their timetable in 2016-17.
This must be timetabled lessons to an entire class for at least one hour per week for the whole academic
year. You must be the member of staff who has sole responsibility for planning and teaching this content
and these lessons every week. Small group tutorials, revision groups or team teaching are not
acceptable. Priority will be given to teachers who are teaching pure mathematics.
For more details see the ‘Criteria for offering places’ at mei.org.uk/tam-course
1
‘A level Mathematics or equivalent’ includes AS/A2 Pure Mathematics modules (Core 1, 2, 3, 4), AS/A2 Applied
Mathematics modules (M1, M2, S1, S2, D1, D2), AS/A2 Further Mathematics modules, (e.g. FP1), IB
Mathematics, Additional Mathematics (Advanced FSMQ)
5. Where and when are the study days going to take place?
Please note: These dates are provisional and subject to change
TAM Days 2016-17
Day 0
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
All days 1000-1600
Birmingham
Wed
13/7
Thu
29/9
Tue
29/11
Wed
30/11
Fri
10/3
Sat
11/3
Mon
19/6
Tue
20/6
Bristol
Thu
7/7
Mon
26/9
Fri
25/11
Sat
26/11
Wed
8/3
Thu
9/3
Mon
19/6
Tues
20/6
Doncaster
Fri
8/7
Mon
19/9
Wed
23/11
Thu
24/11
Fri
10/3
Sat
11/3
Tue
20/6
Wed
21/6
London
(St Marylebone)
Fri
8/7
Mon
26/9
Fri
2/12
Sat
3/12
Mon
6/3
Tue
7/3
Thu
22/6
Fri
23/6
London
(Southwark)
Wed
6/7
Thu
22/9
Tue
6/12
Wed
7/12
Fri
17/3
Sat
18/3
Mon
26/6
Tue
27/6
London
(Stratford)
Mon
11/7
Tue
27/9
Mon
28/11
Tue
29/11
Fri
17/3
Sat
18/3
Mon
26/6
Tue
27/6
Manchester
Fri
8/7
Tue
27/9
Wed
23/11
Thu
24/11
Fri
10/3
Sat
11/3
Mon
19/6
Tue
20/6
Venue name and address
Link to
location map
Birmingham - Hosted by Bishop Challoner Catholic College
Location map
Address: Institute Road, Birmingham, B14 7EG
Bristol - Hosted by King’s Oak Academy
Location map
Address: Brook Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 4JT
Doncaster - Hosted by Outwood Conference Centre at Outwood Academy Adwick
Location map
Address: Tenter Balk Lane, Adwick, Doncaster, DN6 7EQ
London (St Marylebone) - Hosted by St Marylebone CE School
Location map
Address: Sixth Form site, 14 Blandford Street, London, W1U 4AZ
London (Southwark) - Hosted by City of London Academy, Southwark
Location map
Address: 240 Lynton Road, London, SE1 5LA
London (Stratford) - Hosted by Chobham Academy
Location map
Address: 40 Cheering Lane, Newham, E20 1BD
Manchester - Hosted by Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
Location map
Address: Cavendish Road, Bowdon, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2NL
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6. I am already teaching A level mathematics but would like further ideas and a deeper
understanding of the pedagogy. Is this course for me?
The course is primarily designed for teachers who require support in order to teach A level Mathematics
for the first time and would otherwise not teach at this level. However, many course participants in this
position say that they have benefited from the course, having gained deeper insights and that their A
level teaching has become far more effective.
7. I have booked my summer holidays. What work needs to be done over the summer?
We recommend that participants work on the content of Core 1 and 2 between enrolling and the start of
the new school year so they are ready to teach these topics, as most participants expect to do, at the
start of the Autumn term. We recognise that many participants will take long holidays so no course days
take place in this time.
8. How much of my time will it take up?
Over the 15 months of the course (incorporating two summer holidays for private study) you will be
expected to learn the content of five A level mathematics modules (Core 1 to 4 and your choice of
applied module: S1 or M1) with on-line classroom, website and email support. The amount of time this
takes will depend largely on how challenging you find this material.
9. What happens on course days?
At the start of the course, you will know which topics will be covered on each course day. In advance of
each course day there will be suggested work to help you prepare for the day in the form of taking part
in, or watching the recording of, an online session, working through part of a textbook chapter or looking
at online resources and central to this course, academic reading. On a typical course day there will be
three 75-minute lessons (A level content and with a specific focus such as use of questioning, use of
ICT, insights through multiple representations, differentiation, group work, assessment). In addition there
will be at least one session when the group reflects on the experience and how it can be adapted for use
in your own classrooms. For some course days, participants are required to prepare short presentations
to describe to a small group of peers the impact of a resource or teaching approach on their students.
10. I thought that the TAM course included Masters’ credits at well-known universities?
There is a different version of the course - TAM with Masters - which is being run in partnership with
three universities around the country in 2016-17 and includes this Masters element. Further details of
this version of the course can be found on our website: mei.org.uk/tam
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