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Issue 255 • July 1 2010 Price £1.00 www.sec-ed.com


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Thousands applying to teach maths and science, but we still need more...


Chris Parr


Record numbers of people are applying to teach science and maths, but the country still needs hundreds more according to figures released this week. The numbers wanting to teach


the two subjects, which have traditionally proved difficult to recruit into, jumped by more than 36 per cent on average between 2009 and 2010, according to the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA). In maths, the figure was up by


a third – from 1,047 to 1,390. In science the jump was even more pronounced, with 2,014 applications received this year compared with just over 1,400 for the same period last year – a 40 per cent rise. The figures also showed that


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Professor Jim Al-Khalili looks at how discussing the theoretical concepts behind time travel in physics can really engage a class Pages 8 and 9


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Don’t miss your last chance to win £2,000 worth of ICT resources from Texas Instruments Page 4


the number of women applying to teach what the TDA claims are perceived as “traditionally male subjects” is also on the up, with female applications to teach maths jumping by 35 per cent on last year, and up by 41 per cent for science. Jane Imrie, deputy director of


the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, said the economic climate had contributed to the upturn. She told us: “I think it has a lot


to do with the economic downturn. Teaching is still seen as a secure career, even if a lot of teachers are employed on short-term contracts at the moment. “We will always need teachers


though, perhaps more so than we need people working in the finance sector. “There are some recruitment


problems – maths is always at the top of the list when it comes to job vacancies by subject – because it is taught in every school. Despite the rise in applications, there are still a large number of non-specialists teaching maths in schools.” Indeed, despite the sharp


increase in applications, the number of people applying for maths and science positions still falls significantly short of the number required. The TDA says there is an “urgent


need” for around 6,000 teachers in the two subjects each year. Even after this year’s rise, only 3,404 applications were received. Graham Holley, chief executive


of the TDA, said: “The increasing appetite for teaching maths and science is really encouraging. However, there is still a huge job to do in getting high numbers of quality teachers into these priority subjects. I’d urge anyone thinking about becoming a teacher to begin the process today. Good quality science and maths teaching will be key to our future economic prosperity.” Ms Imrie added: “There is an


image problem in mathematics teaching, and I think a lot of people are put off applying because they remember how it was when they were at school themselves – all sitting in rows. That is not how it is now.” According to the survey,


maths is perceived to be the most challenging subject by the general public. Only one in five said they would choose to teach maths if they joined the profession, with a similar number choosing science. The TDA said the figures pointed to the “ongoing challenge


of recruiting top quality teachers”. Elsewhere, the findings suggest that the quality of people applying to join the science and maths teaching pool is also high, with more than half (53 per cent) of the applicants possessing a degree graded 2:1 or higher. Frances Wing, head of Physics at Nonsuch Girls’ Grammar School


in Sutton, has a first class honours degree in physics, and believes that her knowledge of the subject has helped develop her teaching skills to demonstrate physics principles in the classroom. She said: “It’s great to see that


there is a rise in people wanting to teach maths and science given how vital these subjects are in giving


future generations the skills they need to succeed.” Despite the advantages of


academic excellence, the survey also revealed that the top three qualities that teachers should possess, according to the general public, are a passion for their subject, communication skills and leadership.


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