Can you help solve Jersey's maths problem?

Monday 17 November 2014

Have you ever wanted to go back to school? Well if you’re good with numbers – you can!

Education have decided to grow their own secondary school maths teachers because of the shortage of them across the UK and are starting a new course so that Jersey graduates can retrain in the Island.

They have four places on their Jersey Graduate Teacher Programme and are now on the hunt for people who’ve either got a maths degree or are highly numerate to go back into the classroom next September and work in one of the Island’s secondary schools while completing their teacher training.

Before that the trainee teachers will do a special distanced learning course for eight to 16 weeks and get some extra maths lessons.

ESC’s Head of Lifelong Learning and Skills Andy Gibbs said: “We think there could be a pool of highly skilled candidates in Jersey’s finance and business sectors who have experience and maturity that would be an immense benefit in the classroom. We hope this new course provides an attractive way of moving into a new, rewarding career without leaving the Island.

“Good maths teachers are always in great demand and there is a shortage of candidates nationally so it makes sense to ‘grow our own’. We are not just looking for maths graduates.

“This could appeal to a very wide range of people who have been using their numeracy skills in other occupations. As well as engineering, construction, planning, statistics, we would welcome inquiries from graduates in any areas who might be interested in making this important move.”

56 local teachers have been trained up on-Island since 2005 when Jersey’s teacher training programme was first launched.

ESC Minister Deputy Rod Bryans said: “I am sure this scheme, with its specific focus on maths teaching, will appeal to some of the many professionals working in other sectors at the moment and I hope they grab the opportunity. Good numeracy skills are vital for all our young people and what better way to spend your working life than helping students acquire them.”