Cracking the Code: How Maths Teacher Apprenticeships Are Solving the UK’s Education Crisis

Opinion Piece By Matt Woodford, Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University

The Maths Teacher Paradox

There are more mathematics teachers in UK secondary schools now than at any point in the past decade — and the number has been rising steadily for 12 years. So why does the shortage still dominate headlines?

The truth is, the issue isn’t that fewer people want to become maths teachers. In fact, more are entering training. The real challenge is demand. More young people than ever are studying mathematics — and more maths is being taught in schools. Quite simply, demand is outstripping supply. A classic mathematics problem.

A Subject in High Demand — for All the Right Reasons This distinction matters

Headlines about recruitment shortfalls and missed government targets — both real concerns — often imply that mathematics is an unpopular or unattractive subject to teach. That’s far from true.

What we’re witnessing is, in many ways, a success story. Maths is more popular than ever. It’s no longer seen as nerdy or niche, but as a valuable stepping stone to top universities and high-paying, high-prestige careers. Government efforts to promote STEM subjects have had a real impact.

But that popularity comes with a catch.

Many of the top-performing mathematics students — those taking Maths and Further Maths at A-level and heading to high-tariff universities — are being snapped up by sectors like finance, tech, and data science. Others pursue disciplines like psychology or engineering, leveraging their maths background in other fields.

So, while the number of students wanting to study maths is growing, the number of qualified teachers entering classrooms isn’t keeping pace.

Bursaries Help — But Don’t Guarantee Teachers

The government has introduced generous bursaries for postgraduate mathematics training routes— approximately £30,000 — to entice graduates to train as maths teachers. And while this has helped boost applications, it doesn’t always lead to long-term careers in the classroom.

This is where degree apprenticeships are changing the game.

A New, Accessible Pathway into Teaching

At Nottingham Trent University, for example, our four-year Teacher Degree Apprenticeship in Secondary Mathematics Education combines academic study with real classroom experience. Apprentices work in schools while earning a salary and studying towards their degree. For those who can’t afford full-time university study — or who need to earn while they learn — it’s a game-changing opportunity.

Because the academic study is delivered fully online, the programme is accessible not just to school-leavers, but also to mature learners. Learning online means our apprentices can continue to live at home rather than uproot to Nottingham. These apprentices may have just completed their A-levels, be teaching assistants looking to take the next step, or career changers seeking more meaningful work. For all of them, it offers a viable, affordable, and respected route into teaching.

Building Better Teachers, Not Just More

Our aim isn’t just to increase numbers — it’s to develop exceptional teachers. We recognise there is variation in views around what it means to be a good mathematics teacher. In Japan, they refer to three levels of teaching expertise which is particularly helpful:
● Level 1: Teachers who can clearly explain how to solve problems.
● Level 2: Those who can explain why the maths works — demonstrating deeper subject knowledge.
● Level 3: Educators who empower students to make sense of the maths themselves — guiding them to discover, question, and explore.

Our ambition is to support apprentices to develop through these levels and ultimately nurture more Level 3 teachers — those with the confidence, curiosity, and pedagogical skill to inspire the next generation of mathematicians.

Teaching Changes Lives

I made the switch myself. After five years in the City of London, I had a moment of reflection. A colleague retired after 40 years and his job was instantly split across others. I realised: I could work here forever, and no one would remember me. I needed something more.

Teaching offered that. It may sound idealistic, but teaching mathematics genuinely changes lives. Years ago in Nottingham, a big, burly soldier approached me from across the street and said:

“Alright Sir. I wanted to thank you. I left school with no qualifications except for a C in Maths. That made all the difference at my Army interview. You changed my life.”

That moment stayed with me. So have the countless former students who have had doors opened because they achieved at maths. Some are now maths teachers or lecturers themselves But it’s not just the big moments — it’s the everyday joy of working with young people. Despite the bad press, most students are a delight to teach. They’re energetic, honest, and full of potential. Being part of a school community — the camaraderie among staff — makes it even more rewarding.

The Bottom Line

If you believe that all young people can succeed in maths, and you want a career that genuinely matters, teaching might just be the answer.

And thanks to degree apprenticeships, that door is now open to more people than ever before.

-ENDS-

Further Information: Delilah Pollard / Rose Olive delilah@holywowpr.com / rose@holywowpr.com

Notes To Editors

About Nottingham Trent University Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has been named UK ‘University of the Year’ five times in six years, (Times Higher Education Awards 2017, The Guardian University Awards 2019, The Times and Sunday Times 2018 and 2023, Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023) and is consistently one of the top performing modern universities in the UK. It is also now one of a small number of universities in the UK providing apprenticeship programmes graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

It is the 3rd best modern university in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023). Students have voted NTU 1st in the UK for student employability (Uni Compare 2025) NTU is the 5th largest UK institution by student numbers, with over 40,000 students and more than 4,400 staff located across six campuses. It has an international student population of almost 7,000 and an NTU community representing over 160 countries.

NTU owns two Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for outstanding achievements in research (2015, 2021). The first recognises NTU’s research on the safety and security of global citizens. The second was awarded for research in science, engineering, arts and humanities to investigate and restore cultural objects, buildings and heritage. The Research Excellence Framework (2021) classed 83% of NTU’s research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent.

NTU was awarded GOLD in the national 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment, as it was in 2019. NTU is a top 10 for sport (British Universities and Colleges Sport league table 2023).

NTU is the most environmentally sustainable university in the UK and second in the world (UI Green Metric University World Rankings, 2023).