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Mathematics Teaching (Secondary) with QTS (Teacher Degree Apprenticeship) BA(Hons)

2025-26

Undergraduate Open Days
Undergraduate Open Days

Start date

22 September 2025

Duration

4 years full-time

Entry requirements

A Level - CCC

See full entry requirements

About the course

Reasons to study

1. Earn While You Learn: This is the only teacher training route that is fully funded—covering tuition fees and paying a salary, allowing you to gain a degree and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

2. Hands-On Classroom Experience: You’ll spend 60% of your time in a school from day one, gaining practical teaching experience while being supported by experienced mentors and university tutors.

3. High-Quality, Specialist Training: Delivered by the University of Huddersfield—an institution with an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rating and the highest Apprenticeship Qualification Achievement Rate (87.6%) in England—you’ll gain deep subject knowledge and be fully qualified to teach mathematics to students aged 11–16.

The Teacher Degree Apprenticeship – Secondary Maths is an innovative, fully funded route into secondary teaching, enabling you to earn a salary while studying for an undergraduate degree and achieving Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). This is the only teacher training route that covers tuition fees while paying you a salary.

Designed for aspiring secondary mathematics teachers, this employment-based apprenticeship allows you to work in a school from day one, gaining hands-on experience while learning from expert university tutors and school mentors.

Throughout the apprenticeship, 60% of the time is spent in the classroom, gaining practical experience with support from a specialist school-based mentor, while 40% is dedicated to off-the-job training at the university.

If you’re thinking of studying an apprenticeship, or are an employer looking for an apprenticeship for your employees, you’ll also find useful information on our Degree Apprenticeship webpages.

Throughout the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship – Secondary Maths, you'll explore a rich and dynamic curriculum designed to develop both your subject knowledge, build your confidence and teaching skills.

Why the University of Huddersfield?

Teaching is one of the most fulfilling careers, offering the chance to shape lives, spark curiosity, and make a lasting impact. We’ve been developing great teachers in Huddersfield since 1947. The University of Huddersfield is one of only eight universities in England—and the only institution in Yorkshire—selected by the Department for Education to deliver this apprenticeship. The University of Huddersfield has the highest Apprenticeship Qualification Achievement Rate (QAR) among Higher Education Institutions in England.*

Our 2023/24 QAR was 87.6% and coupled with our Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rating displays the excellent learning experience for apprentices and their employers at the University of Huddersfield.

Co-developed with school and education professionals, the apprenticeship ensures that you gain specialist mathematics knowledge, strong pedagogical skills, and practical classroom experience to become a confident and highly skilled teacher.

Upon completion, you will be fully qualified to teach mathematics to students aged 11-16, inspiring you to make an impact in classrooms from the very start of your career.

*Excludes providers with fewer than 100 apprentices.

What you'll study

Designing Learning and Assessment for Secondary Mathematics – Learn how to plan, structure, and assess engaging mathematics lessons that meet the needs of all learners.

Inclusivity in Mathematics Teaching Practice – Develop the skills to support diverse learners, ensuring that every student can succeed in mathematics, regardless of background or ability.

Advanced Mathematical Knowledge at Key Stages 3 and 4 – Deepen your understanding of core and advanced maths concepts, equipping you with the confidence to teach topics across the 11-16 age range.

Curriculum Planning and Progression in Mathematics – Discover how the maths curriculum is structured, enabling you to plan lessons that build on students' prior knowledge and prepare them for future learning.

Practitioner-Research in Secondary Mathematics Education: Work Based Research Project – Apply what you’ve learned by conducting a real-world research project, helping to shape innovative teaching strategies in your school.

These modules, combined with hands-on classroom experience and expert university tuition, will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive as a mathematics teacher.

Course detail

Designing Learning and Assessment for Secondary Mathematics

Whilst the teaching and learning of mathematics must be considered holistically, extending far beyond isolated individual lessons, the majority of teachers’ interactions with students occurs during lessons. This module will direct you to consider how educational theory can be practically applied to the design of learning materials, strategies and techniques. The module is designed to equip you with the skills, strategies, and understanding needed to implement effective assessment practices in mathematics education. By understanding, designing and implementing effective assessment strategies, teachers can create a mathematics classroom where assessment drives improvement, engagement and success. You will explore a variety of assessment types, including formative, summative and diagnostic assessments. You will develop the ability to design meaningful assessments that align with curriculum standards and help foster a positive, growth-oriented approach to mathematics learning.

Developing Core Mathematical Knowledge at Key Stages 3 and 4

Expert subject knowledge is the foundational tool of mathematics teaching. Teacher subject knowledge is the key factor in high quality teaching and in raising the attainment of students. Well-developed subject knowledge enables teachers to better evaluate the thinking behind student responses and non-standard methods, identify potential misconceptions and choose appropriate interventions based these interpretations. This module provides a focused approach to developing subject knowledge in KS3 and KS4 mathematics. It focuses on the foundational knowledge required to teach mathematics at secondary level, but also encourages a deeper exploration of the concepts teachers will need to master for advanced problem-solving and clear mathematical reasoning. You will develop the ability to analyse mathematical concepts, identify underlying principles and understand the interconnectedness of topics. You will be able to address and explore common misconceptions, ensuring you develop a robust knowledge base to analyse and answer complex student questions.

Demonstrating Practice Based Skills 1

This module supports the professional learning of trainee teachers through first-hand experience of how mathematics is taught in England’s secondary schools. It will begin to develop your theoretical knowledge and practical application of the secondary mathematics content within the National Curriculum 2016 with reference to the Teachers’ Standards. You will reflect on your own teaching practice and professional development by connecting your experiences on the course to your classroom practice. You will gain a clear understanding of teachers’ statutory duties, professional expectations and responsibilities, developing your classroom and behaviour management skills and building your confidence as a teacher.

Entry requirements

CCCat A Level with grade C or above in A-level Mathematics, Core Mathematics, Further Mathematics or other cognate subject including Accounting, Physics, Statistics, or Chemistry.

96 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications including grade C or above in A-level Mathematics, Core Mathematics, Further Mathematics or other cognate subject including Accounting, Physics, Statistics, or Chemistry.

Distinction at T Level in Accounting; Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing; Engineering, Manufacturing, Process, and Control; or Maintenance, Installation, and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing.

  • 96 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications including scores of 4 or above in all mathematics and science components undertaken.

Applicants for the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship must:

  • have been a resident of England for at least the last three years;
  • not already have an undergraduate degree; and
  • be aged 18 years or over at the commencement of the course.

In addition, you must have GCSE English Language or Literature and Mathematics at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme.

Those who do not have a GCSE in English Language, Literature or Mathematics may demonstrate an equivalent standard by completing a test via Equivalency Testing or A Star Equivalency and achieving at least a grade 4. For Mathematics, equivalency tests in Mathematics Foundation or Mathematics Higher with grade 4 are accepted.

Level 2 BTEC, Functional Skills or Access course qualifications are not accepted in place of GCSEs.

Level 3 qualifications should have been achieved within the last 5 years unless applicants can demonstrate recent professional experience in a mathematics-related field for example mathematics education, accounting or finance.

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning

Applicants without a Grade C or above in A-Level Mathematics, or an equivalent as specified above, may also be eligible to undertake the course. Such applicants are invited to apply for Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) if they can evidence working in a mathematics-related field. At least three years of relevant experience will ordinarily be expected, but APEL applicants with a minimum of one year of experience and other evidence of mathematical learning will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To be eligible to submit an APEL claim, applicants must hold Level 3 qualifications equivalent to 96+ UCAS Tariff Points, in any subjects.

You will need a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health clearances prior to registration on the course. You will be required to sign a self-declaration at the start of each year and at the end of the course. All police contact during the course must be reported to the course leader as a matter of urgency and may lead to suspension or termination.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum of IELTS 7.0 overall with no element lower than 6.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

Ofsted Outstanding courses


The University’s apprenticeship provision was awarded an outstanding rating by Ofsted in a recent inspection.

Huddersfield is only the second university to be awarded Ofsted’s outstanding rating for its apprenticeship provision in the last four years. It is also the only university in the Yorkshire and Humber region and the north-west of England to have both an outstanding Ofsted rating for apprenticeships and to be a TEF Gold-rated university.

The University was awarded outstanding in all five categories:

  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Personal development
  • Leadership and management
  • Apprenticeships

The apprenticeship provision was praised by Ofsted for the positive experiences of the apprentices, the research-informed knowledge of teaching staff, and for the strong relationships between the University’s leaders and employers.

In addition, the University of Huddersfield also has the highest Apprenticeship Qualification Achievement Rate (QAR) among Higher Education Institutions in England.*

Our 2023/24 QAR was 87.6% and coupled with our Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rating displays the excellent learning experience for apprentices and their employers at the University of Huddersfield. 

*Excludes providers with fewer than 100 apprentices. 

Placements


Throughout the apprenticeship, you will gain extensive hands-on experience by working in a secondary school from day one.

You will spend:

40% of your time (2 days per week) in off-the-job training at the University of Huddersfield, attending lectures and seminars led by expert educators to develop your subject knowledge and teaching skills.

60% of your time in a school setting, gradually building your teaching confidence through lesson planning, classroom delivery, and mentoring support.

Your placement will provide real-world experience of teaching mathematics at Key Stages 3 and 4, ensuring you develop the practical skills, confidence, and expertise needed to become an effective secondary maths teacher.

In the third year, apprentices will be required to undertake a placement at a different institution. We will work closely with you and our partner schools to arrange a placement that supports your professional development and is conveniently located wherever possible.

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.