PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Postgraduate Certificate in Mathematics Specialist Teaching
Awarding Institution: Institute of Education, University of London
Teaching Institutions: Institute of Education, University of London
Name of final award
Postgraduate Certificate
Mathematics Specialist Teacher Status
Programme title
Mathematics Specialist Teacher Programme
Language of study
The Institute of Education teaches and assesses participants through the
medium of the English language. Competence in English language is required
of all applicants. Programme regulations may indicate the level of competence
required of each applicant and may make its achievement a condition of
admission.
Participants
The programme is designed for fully-qualified teachers working at the primary
level in a school, in an early years setting or in a special school working on the
primary curriculum. See entry requirements section for full details.
Educational Aims of the Programme
The aims of the Mathematics Specialist Teacher programme are to enable the
Mathematics Specialist Teacher to:
 develop their mathematical subject knowledge so that they have a deep
knowledge of mathematics within the EYFS and primary curriculum, and into
KS3; understand how mathematics in the primary curriculum progresses and
be confident in teaching key aspects of mathematics;
 draw on a wide repertoire of teaching approaches and to recognise how these
support and direct children’s learning of mathematics;
 develop the expertise needed to work with colleagues in their school and
develop classroom-based collaborative professional activity that reviews and
enriches the teaching and learning of mathematics for all children;
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the programme, the Mathematics Specialist Teacher
will:
 have deep mathematical subject and pedagogical knowledge that informs
and is informed by their own practice through study, analysis and research;
 have developed the collaborative, practice-transfer skills needed to work with
colleagues across the school to develop their subject and pedagogical
knowledge and to implement improvements in the teaching and learning of
mathematics for all children in the school
Entry criteria
Participants must have a good honours level first degree (2:2 or
above) or equivalent professional qualification.
Applicants who do not meet the above mentioned entry criteria will be asked to
demonstrate their ability to meet the demands of the programme through a
personal statement.
Applicants whose first language is a language other than English may be
required to provide evidence of their English language proficiency.
In addition, applicants for the MaST programme are normally expected to:
 be currently teaching full or part-time at primary level or in an early years
setting (this could include a special needs school or a pupil referral unit);
 be enthusiastic about and committed to developing the knowledge, skills and
understanding needed to be become a Mathematics Specialist Teacher;
 be well placed to lead improvements in the teaching and learning of
mathematics in their school and have a good working relationship with the
school’s leadership team;
 be prepared to undertake personal, extended professional learning
activities, maintain a professional learning log and undertake professional
development tasks that will involve them carrying out in-school support to
colleagues;
 have the support of their school and head teacher to complete all
programme activities (see below).
The UCL Institute of Education is committed to admitting and supporting
participants with disabilities and welcomes applications from them. Participants
do not need to be registered disabled to draw on these services, though in order
to provide services in the long-term we will need to ask for medical or other
evidence, as appropriate.
Disabilities Support can also support people who have a temporary
mobility / dexterity impairment / other difficulty as a result of an accident,
injury, illness or surgery.
We aim to treat every person as an individual, with needs which may differ from
those of other people with a superficially similar disability. We do not therefore
have standard procedures for participants with dyslexia, nor standard procedures
for visually impaired participants: each person's needs are considered
individually.
Support from school and head teacher
Full support from participants’ schools and their head teachers is essential to
enable students to meet the requirements of the programme. Head teachers are
required to provide a statement of support, sign-off student applications for the
programme and sign up to a set of protocols confirming their school’s involvement
in supporting the participant on the programme.
The school where the participant works should have:
 a clear and strong commitment to the ongoing improvement of mathematics;
 a leadership team committed to the introduction of a Mathematics
Specialist Teacher in its school and understanding that this represents
a long-term commitment;
 a leadership team which is prepared to release the Mathematics
Specialist Teacher to attend any training during term time and support the
teacher during other times that training takes place;
 a leadership team that actively supports the Mathematics Specialist Teacher to
engage in collaborative classroom-based CPD in the school;
In addition, once enrolled on the programme, the head teacher and
school will specifically need to:
 ensure that the participant has sufficient support to carry out in-school
activities, including planning, assessment and teaching in their own
classroom; collaborative activity including lesson study, coaching or working
with colleagues; and running CPD sessions or meetings or developing
practices in other’s classrooms;
 build the participant’s professional development work on the programme into
the school’s improvement planning and ensure that the participant has the
materials they need to work alongside colleagues and develop practices
across the school and with parents;
Mode of study
This programme is completed through two years part-time study. Face-to-face
Saturday and daytime sessions 5 times a year, twilight sessions and self-study.
Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards
The programme is run on a part-time basis and consists of three M level modules of
30 credits each, all of which are required.
Outline content
Primary Mathematics Specialist Teaching: Mathematics and pedagogy (Year 1)
Aims
The overall aim of this module is to allow the participant to demonstrate:
 a deep knowledge of mathematics from Foundation Stage up to KS3 that
enables Pupils’ progression throughout the primary years
 the ability to assess, review and support children’s learning in mathematics in
their own and their colleagues’ classrooms
Objectives
By the end of the module the participant will demonstrate that they have:
 Developed their own knowledge and understanding of aspects of mathematics
relevant to the EYFS, primary and KS3 curriculum’.
 extended their understanding of progression in key concepts, language,
notation and symbolism that support the learning of mathematics from
EYFS into KS3
 carried out sustained enquiry refining their own use of key
mathematical processes involved in problem solving, reasoning and
communication
 reflected on the pedagogy of teaching mathematics and on the
teaching approaches they use most and least frequently and why
Session topics:
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Understanding additive reasoning
Understanding multiplicative reasoning
Problem solving, reasoning and proof
Reasoning about geometrical ideas
Understanding fractions
Working with colleagues developing mathematical knowledge for teaching
Primary Mathematics Specialist Teaching: Whole school issues (Year 2)
Aims
The overall aim of this module is to build on the first year module to allow
the participant to demonstrate:
 A deep knowledge of mathematics from Foundation stage up to KS3,
particularly in relation to algebraic reasoning, data handling and measures,
that enables pupils’ progression throughout the primary years
 The ability to assess, review and support children’s learning in mathematics in
their own and their colleagues’ classrooms and by leading whole school
initiatives
Objectives
By the end of the module the participant will demonstrate that they have:
 Continued to develop their own mathematical knowledge, skills and
understanding, especially in relation to algebra, data handling and
measures
 Extended their understanding of progression in key concepts, language
notation and symbolism that support the learning of mathematics from
EYFS into KS3
 Developed their understanding of problem solving and reasoning and their
place in the teaching and learning of mathematics
 Reflected on the pedagogy of teaching mathematics and on the approaches
used in your school, including an awareness of issues related to the place of
language in mathematics, creative approaches to mathematics, assessment
and links between home and school
 Developed their understanding of ways of working with colleagues,
including identifying and starting to implement actions to enhance
mathematics teaching and learning in their school
Session topics
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Language in the teaching and learning of mathematics
Data handling
Algebraic reasoning
Working with colleagues on whole school issues
Inclusion and mathematics
Assessing mathematical learning
Primary Mathematics Specialist Teaching: Theory into Practice (Years 1
and 2)
Aims
The overall aim of this module is to run alongside the other two modules and to
allow the participant to demonstrate:
 The ability to relate their developing understanding of mathematics and
pedagogy to their own practice and that of their colleagues
 The ability to assess, review and support children’s learning in
mathematics in their own and colleagues’ classrooms
Objectives
By the end of this module the participant will demonstrate that they have:
 Used their developing understanding of mathematics and pedagogy in
their classroom and in their school more widely
 Reflected on approaches to teaching mathematics used in their school, in
relation to current and recent research and developments
 Used their developing understanding of ways of working with colleagues
to enhance mathematics teaching and learning in their school
Session topics (Year 1)
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Representing mathematics
Counting
Geometry
Introducing fractions
Follow-up from a staff meeting
Session topics (Year 2)
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Lesson study
Maths talk
Creativity
Diagnostic assessment of mathematics
Linking home with school
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes
to be achieved and demonstrated
The participant will be engaged in a range of activities to support their learning
and professional development.
They will keep a professional learning log.
They will be supported in conducting an evaluation of the state of mathematics
education in their school with the purpose of understanding the perceptions of
effectiveness of current systems and resources. This may take the form of a
‘learning walk’ supported by the school’s senior management team that will focus on
the range of mathematical pedagogies in evidence. Other approaches might
include interviewing colleagues and other members of the school community (such
as the head teacher, SENCO, other teachers, classroom assistants, pupils and
parents) and drawing on available data to build up a picture of mathematics
teaching in their school.
Face-to-face sessions at the IOE, held on two days in the Autumn half term and
three Saturdays across the year, will provide opportunities for collaborative
activities with other teachers and discussion of mathematics pedagogy with HEI
staff. Twilight sessions will build on the ideas introduced in the day-schools and
will include discussion of tasks to be carried out in school between sessions.
Required work in schools includes:
 running or holding a session in a staff meeting
 carrying out specified tasks with groups of children and feeding back at
local sessions and HEI meetings
 asking colleagues to carry out tasks and provide feedback on results
Each participant will have a member of HEI staff who will act as an academic tutor
with responsibility for maintaining contact throughout the module and providing
guidance on assignments including feedback on drafts.
Assessment
Assessment for Primary Mathematics Specialist Teaching: Mathematics and
pedagogy and for Primary Mathematics Specialist Teaching: Whole school
issues, is by written assignment of 5,000 words. Assessment for Primary
Mathematics Specialist Teaching: Theory into practice is by portfolio of work
including a reflective essay. Participants must successfully complete these
assignments in order to achieve the minimum credits required for the award.
They will have the support of a personal tutor and full access to library facilities
to support completion of their assessments.
The assignments require the completion of school-based activities, including:
 peer coaching with a colleague and identify the effect the coaching work has
had on their colleague (Year 1);
 working with the head teacher and other relevant colleagues to develop
action plans linked to the school development plan (Year 2);
 peer coaching with colleagues, working with colleagues in staff meetings and
using colleague’s expertise (Year 2).
Information about assessment regulations
Participants must successfully complete all elements of the programme, to achieve
the minimum credits required for the award, i.e. 90 credits for the Post Graduate
Certificate award. All course work is assessed according to the grade-related
criteria for the programme level, found in the programme handbook. All
assignments are independently marked by two staff members, who meet to
discuss and reconcile the marks and comments for each individual. Assignments
are graded from A to D, with D being a failing grade. Participants are permitted to
represent a failed assignment on one further occasion, within 12 months of the
original submission.
An external examiner is appointed by Senate and plays an important role in
monitoring the quality of the programme and evaluating the effectiveness of
the teaching and support provided for the programme participants and the
reliability of the judgements made in assessing them.
Support for learning
 Access is available to the support services for academic writing, details will be
provided at the start of the course;
 Module handbooks offer full guidance and advice on studying, writing
and submitting assignments;
 The Programme Leader is available to advise all participants on
academic matters, and to refer them to the support services available;
 Formative feedback is provided on draft assignments to take forward to
their final submission;
Methods for evaluating and improving the programme
 Termly meetings of the Programme Team;
 Staff review and development;
 Internal moderation of written work;
 External examiner reports;
 Committees with responsibility for monitoring and evaluating quality
and standards;
 Board of Examiners;
 Faculty Learning, Teaching and Quality Assurance Committee;
 Teaching Committee; Validation Sub-Committee; Equal Opportunities
Committee
 Academic Board;
Mechanisms for gaining participant feedback on the quality of teaching and
their learning experience:
 Participant session evaluation
Indicators of quality and
standards
 Positive feedback from participants;
 Progression to higher level award programmes;
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Promotion to higher level roles in participants place of work or providing
alternative career options;
Opportunity to share learning from this programme within participants own
institutions or group of institutions;
Participation in continuing professional development programmes;
External examiner’s appraisal of how standards compare with other
universities;
Relevant benchmark statements and other external and internal
reference points used to inform programme outcomes
The Williams1 report identifies the Mathematics Specialist as the teacher who, in
partnership with the senior leadership team, will share the “responsibility and
planning for improving, strengthening and developing mathematics teaching and
learning within the school”. For a Mathematics Specialist Teacher working in a
cluster or federation of small schools, this may involve a MaST teacher providing
this function across a cluster or federation of small schools.
Date of completion of specification
February 2016
1
Williams, P. (2008) Review of Mathematics Teaching in Early Years Settings and Primary Schools, Nottingham:
DCSF publications
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/Williams%20Mathematics.pdf