Maths and Physics Chairs Programme (2016 and 2017 intake)

It is a DfE priority to develop a great workforce with strong leadership. This programme specifically contributes to this priority by increasing the number of specialist maths and physics teachers in the classroom.

On the 8 December 2014 the Prime Minister announced a five year commitment to fund a package of policies to address the shortfall in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) teachers. The Maths and Physics Chairs programme (Chairs) is part of a wider package of initiatives to improve the progression of young people in STEM and to enhance of teaching in those subjects.

A key benefit of the programme will be the recruitment of the most able post-doctoral researchers into schools to inject deep subject expertise and enthusiasm into the classroom to raise student progression, and into the current teaching staff through targeted CPD and master class tuition at expert subject level. The scope for this contract is for two intakes (of around 100-110 places each) to start their training in 2016/17 (cohort 3) and 2017/18 (cohort 4) respectively.

Each intake would be on the programme for three years The specification in this Invitation to Tender is designed to provide information for organisations interested in responding to this contract for the development of the Chairs initial teacher training programme and its delivery in academic years 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20. It sets out the requirements of the contract and the process for interested parties to submit a bid and details how they will be evaluated.

The longer term vision is for Chairs to create a ‘steady state’ of 300 post-doctoral researchers as Maths and Physics Chairs by 2018 sharing their expertise with schools as part of a hub model. Those recruited would act as catalysts, advocates and champions for spreading expertise in maths and physics throughout the system.

The success of the programme would also raise the profile of progression in maths and physics, encouraging schools to employ them. To deliver the high quality programme by the proposed options, it is necessary to combine outstanding recruitment, development of additional training with the very best of the expertise in the initial teacher training sector. The programme is also aligned to other teacher training routes in terms of selection and recruitment to ensure parity.