Decolonising secondary Maths initial teacher education in England

Smith, Rob and Puttick, Mary-Rose (2025) Decolonising secondary Maths initial teacher education in England. Journal of Education Policy. ISSN 0268-0939

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Abstract

In England, a crisis in teacher recruitment and retention is negatively affecting the teaching of Maths. This is particularly damaging for children from working class, global majority and low-income households – qualifications in Maths being important in the employment market and for some Degree-level subjects. The current shortage is framed by a proliferation of school-based Initial Teacher Education (ITE) pathways outside of Higher Education (HE) and a recent Market Review of HE-based ITE that signalled the introduction of a centrally prescribed ITE curriculum. This article draws on research into a mature HE-based secondary Maths Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programme in a ‘superdiverse’ city in the West Midlands of England to offer insights into an alternative partnership approach. Through analysis of data from focus groups and semi-structured interviews, the paper utilises theories of decoloniality and critical pedagogy to argue that current policymaking, rooted in coloniality, underpins the current crisis. Key findings show how HE-based ITE, in partnership with schools and informed by a critical pedagogical approach and an interest in the public good, has infrastructural advantages over school-based programmes. In this case, partnership as an organic, networked collective significantly benefits students and the local communities they come from.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1080/02680939.2025.2540351
Dates:	Date Event 14 July 2025 Accepted 30 July 2025 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Decolonial Theory, Maths Teaching, Initial Teacher Education
Subjects:	CAH22 - education and teaching > CAH22-01 - education and teaching > CAH22-01-01 - education CAH22 - education and teaching > CAH22-01 - education and teaching > CAH22-01-02 - teacher training
Divisions:	Law and Social Sciences > Education
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	11 Aug 2025 13:53
Last Modified:	11 Aug 2025 13:53
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16584