QTS Numeracy Page

Support for mathematics

QTS Numeracy Skills
A Level
GCSE
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QTS Numeracy Skills

Introducing Bev Judson

I am a teacher based in Warrington and before I took early retirement from teaching in the classroom I was a Head of Maths in two secondary schools, an Assistant Headteacher and of course a Maths Teacher.

I currently work as an hourly paid tutor with Liverpool Hope University where I teach on the Maths Enhancement Course for aspiring Secondary Maths teachers and assist with visiting and observing student teachers on the Maths PGCE course.

Essential professional skill

As a Head of Department, part of my role was to analyse lots of data regarding pupil progress: a very powerful tool in monitoring performance. My experience of helping a few successful student teachers to revise for the QTS Numeracy test convinced me of its importance in preparing teachers to have the basic skills necessary to understand and interpret data analysis. I feel confident to offer my services as an independent tutor in preparing prospective student teachers for the numeracy test.

Resources and Focus

From experience, I have found that focusing on the 12 mental arithmetic questions can be the key in most cases to passing the QTS Numeracy Test.

Most problems occur due to:

fear of having timed questions;
having to listen rather than read the questions;
having to do most of the questions in your head.

However, learning or re-learning techniques in how to calculate in your head is the key. A bit of coaching and practice almost always resolves these issues. I have developed resources for the mental arithmetic questions and am continuing to do so.

So get practising! The children you will teach are expected to do so, so what is there to fear!

Something to think about

Do not imagine that mathematics is harsh and crabbed, and repulsive to common sense. It is merely the etherealisation of common sense.

Baron William Thomson Kelvin

'The Six Gateways of Knowledge',

Presidential Address to the Birmingham and Midland Institute,

Birmingham, October 1883

Further support for mathematics

We can now offer a widened service covering the following areas: