Primary Mastery

Please see our pathway of support for schools in developing mastery. The first stage of this development is our Vision and Mindset programme. We will offer support to schools for at least four years to ensure mastery can be fully implemented.

Stage One: Mastery Readiness

Vision and Mindset: Developing a whole school approach to teaching for mastery

Background

Beginning in the autumn term and continuing through the academic year, we will accept seven schools to engage in the following activities, which will include:

  • Each school identifying two teachers including the maths lead to support developments within their school
  • Attending up to two local training events per term, represented by the subject leader (SL) and one other teacher. The headteacher should attend on the first day and as many subsequent days as possible. The training would include an introduction to mastery, how to prepare a school to be ready to implement teaching for mastery, initial steps, both in leadership and in classroom teaching, and strategies to overcome potential barriers.
  • Receiving two half-day school visits, per term, from the Mastery Readiness Lead to identify specific school issues, support the development of a long-term action plan, and provide bespoke support in developing mastery.
  • Schools that have been successful in beginning to implement strategies and have shown commitment to the programme which lay the foundations for teaching for mastery will be considered to become part of the main Teaching for Mastery Work Groups beginning in the autumn term 2022.

Benefits for participating schools

Participating in the programme will provide the following benefits to schools:

  • Free, high quality support for teacher professional development for the lead teachers, facilitated by the Mastery Readiness Lead
  • Support for the headteacher in addressing leadership issues related to mathematics and contributing to raising standards
  • Support and resources to develop the school’s readiness to engage with a mastery approach to teaching mathematics
  • Opportunity to work closely with other schools also developing mastery
  • Free professional development materials to support mathematical reasoning of pupils in Years Three and Four.

Expectations of participating schools

Schools chosen to participate in the programme commit to the following expectations:

  • To release two teachers (one of whom is the maths lead) to attend a total of two local training events per term
  • For the headteacher to attend the first of these training events along with their teachers (and any further training, if possible or appropriate)
  • For the headteacher to spend time with the Mastery Readiness Lead during school visits
  • To release teachers to work with the Mastery Readiness Lead in their own school, working on a bespoke action plan in between these twice termly visits
  • To commit to developing aspects of mastery in their school through continuous work, in conjunction with their co-constructed action plan
  • The schools will seek to collect evidence of impact of the programme to support the evaluation process.
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Stage Two: Teaching for Mastery Work Groups

Since 2014, The NCETM and Maths Hubs have been working together to develop approaches to teaching for mastery within primary mathematics. This has been partly informed by the teaching of mathematics in high performing South East Asian jurisdictions. In the last three years the NCETM and Maths Hubs recruited teachers to participate in a Mastery Specialists development programme. Once trained, Mastery Specialists work with other schools in teaching for mastery Work Groups.

The Teaching for Mastery Work Groups

Each Work Group will be led by one of the Maths Hub’s Mastery Specialists and involve six or seven primary schools. During the year, they will work closely together to introduce and develop approaches to teaching for mastery. The Work Group activity will include:

  • Each school identifying two teachers to lead developments within their school
  • The two teachers working together with the Mastery Specialist and teachers from the other Work Group schools in half-termly Teacher Research Group (TRG) meetings and through an online community
  • Each school receiving a termly support visit from the Mastery Specialist to observe teaching, support in-school TRGs, and work with the lead teachers and headteacher in developing an action plan for the school
  • The headteacher working with the Mastery Specialist and other of the Maths Hub’s leadership to develop whole school policies and structures to support teaching for mastery
  • The lead teachers, supported by the headteacher, working with colleagues to develop teaching for mastery approaches in the classroom, supported by professional development activity including Teacher Research Group methods
  • An expectation, following the first year, that schools will continue as part of the Work Group.

Participating in the Work Group will provide the following benefits to schools:

  • High quality support for professional development for the lead teachers, facilitated by the Mastery Specialist
  • Support for the headteacher in addressing leadership issues related to teaching for mastery from the Mastery Specialist and the Maths Hub’s leadership
  • Opportunity to work closely with other schools also developing teaching for mastery
  • No charge for participation and a grant of £1000 to help subsidise teacher release time

Who can apply

The Work Groups are intended for schools that are committed to using teaching for mastery approaches for primary mathematics. Schools should also have the capacity for engaging in significant development work.

Expectations of participating schools

Schools chosen to participate in the Work Group commit to the following expectations:

  • The lead teachers will participate in the half-termly, cross-school Work Group meetings with the Mastery Specialist (half-days) and complete gap tasks
  • The lead teachers will receive a minimum of ten (combined) days’ release time for development work including the above meetings
  • The headteacher will meet with the Mastery Specialist and the Maths Hub’s leadership as well as working with the other Work Group school headteachers
  • The school will introduce teaching for mastery approaches across the school and establish TRG professional development models to support teacher development
  • The school will provide any reports required by the Maths Hub and participate in any evaluation processes required
  • The school will continue to network with the schools in the Work Group

Funding

There is no charge to schools participating in the Work Group. Each school will receive a £1000 grant towards the cost of the required teacher release time

How to apply

Please contact us for details of how to apply.

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