Secondary Education [Maths and SEND]
Mathematics education at secondary level is one of the most important and undervalued contributions any professional can make. Mathematics is fundamental to so much of human understanding, from the sciences and technology to economics and everyday reasoning, yet a substantial proportion of young people leave school without the mathematical confidence and competence they need. The challenge is particularly acute for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, who may require specialist approaches to access the curriculum effectively.
This distance-learning degree at the University of Buckingham is designed specifically to address that challenge, preparing teachers for secondary mathematics with a focused specialism in SEND.
The programme recognises that teaching mathematics well, particularly to students who find it difficult or who have additional learning needs, requires both deep subject knowledge and sophisticated pedagogical skill. You will develop a thorough grounding in secondary mathematics content alongside an understanding of how pupils learn mathematics, what gets in the way, and what kinds of teaching and support make a genuine difference. The SEND specialism gives you specific expertise in the approaches and adaptations that help students with a wide range of additional needs to access mathematical learning.
The distance-learning mode makes the programme accessible to students who need flexibility in how they study.
Graduates of this programme are prepared to teach secondary mathematics, particularly in key stages 3 and 4, with a specialist ability to support pupils with SEND. Schools face a persistent shortage of mathematics teachers, and the combination of subject specialism with SEND expertise makes graduates of this programme particularly valuable. Many go on to pursue qualified teacher status and build careers as mathematics teachers, heads of department and specialist SEND practitioners.
Some move into educational consultancy, curriculum development or roles in specialist SEND schools and units.