UCLan students fight off competition to land teacher training grant
Three University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) mathematics students are celebrating a triple success after each secured a prestigious Mathematics Teacher Training Scholarship from the Institute of Mathematics (IMA).
The trio, Lauren Archer, Jamie Rimmington and Alana Rowlands, successfully negotiated the selection panel to win the scholarships that will fund their teacher training studies after graduation.
Jamie said: “I was delighted to be awarded the IMA Scholarship, as it carries a certain prestige. It also represents the body’s faith in my potential as a teacher, so I feel honoured to be chosen.”
Commenting on the benefits of the scholarships, Alana said: “I feel the scholarship will help in my training year as it provides lots of resources and materials. It will also allow me to be involved in a large community of maths enthusiasts which will be great to discuss ideas and experiences.
“The University Ambassador Scheme (UAS) module has helped me gain the experience needed to apply for my PGCE whilst still working towards my degree. It also helped me within the scholarship preparation as I based my presentation and discussion parts of the IMA assessment on lessons I have observed through the module.”
"The University Ambassador Scheme (UAS) module has helped me gain the experience needed to apply for my PGCE whilst still working towards my degree."
When asked about how her time at UCLan has prepared her for this scholarship, Lauren said: “The UAS module being spread over the year enables you to see the changes and challenges faced within schools. It gave me a realistic look into teaching and meant I had a real understanding of what goes on in schools. This helped me answer the interview questions honestly, with real-life examples.”
All three students are currently participating in the UAS teaching placements as part of a new initiative by the UCLan maths course team. The placement module allows students interested in teaching to spend time in schools, developing their teaching skills and gaining experience as part of their academic studies.
Danielle Bewsher, Senior Lecturer in mathematics at UCLan, said: “They have worked very hard at their placement schools and have been a credit to the University whilst out representing UCLan. I’m very proud of their achievements and securing the scholarships has been fantastic reward for all of their hard work.
“Every year, many of our maths graduates move into teacher training. The teaching placement module now allows us to better support these students and it is fantastic that in its first year of operation, three of the most promising students have benefited from the module and been rewarded with fully funded scholarships.”
"I was delighted to be awarded the IMA Scholarship, as it carries a certain prestige. It also represents the body’s faith in my potential as a teacher, so I feel honoured to be chosen."