Secondary Projects

Who can take part?

The project is for those who lead maths across multiple schools within a MAT, including at least one secondary school. This includes MAT maths leads who are continuing from 2021/22, and new participants. To better engage in the programme, participants are encouraged to have at least one school in a Secondary Teaching for Mastery Work Group in 2022/23, but this is not essential.

What is involved?

Now in its second year, this project supports those who lead maths across multiple schools within a MAT. Participants will also develop their role as a leader of system change, curriculum change, and teacher professional development.

The programme involves three one-day face-to-face national workshops. Within these, the cohort will be split into new and continuing participants for some sessions, with other sessions for everyone. Participants will also carry out and evaluate their own improvement initiatives, both in and between sessions, and be part of a vibrant online community.

What will you learn?

• You will promote and develop a shared vision for effective teaching and learning in maths
• You will work with subject leaders across your MAT to lead and manage maths teaching effectively and to develop teaching for mastery approaches within your own department
• You will understand the leadership and management skills required to effectively promote and develop teaching for mastery approaches within your schools
• You will understand effective models of maths teacher professional development, the rationale for using them, and the evidence that supports them

What is the cost?

The Secondary Maths MAT Leads project is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schools.

Who can take part?

The project is for secondary heads of department/subject leaders, and is open to heads of department in schools already involved with Maths Hubs and to those who are not yet involved. In their first year of engagement with this project, participants will be part of a Work Group. In subsequent years they will be part of a Maths Hub-led subject leadership community.

What is involved?

Local Work Groups will follow a cycle of workshops followed by school-based tasks. Participants will support each other through the sharing of leadership strategies and practices. A vibrant professional learning community will be created through peer-to-peer discussions and expert input. Participants will also create an action plan for their department.

Much of the work will involve each individual department working on elements of their action plan and developing collaborative ways of working which support their professional development. As well as exploring the needs of their own department, participants will benefit from the expertise and experiences of the group of departments represented.

What will you learn?

• You will promote and develop a shared vision, culture and set of principles for teaching and learning in maths
• You will ensure coherence in the curriculum and provide support for teaching for mastery across the department
• You and your department will establish collaborative ways of working to support ongoing developments
• You will develop in your ability to lead change

What is the cost?

The Secondary Subject Leadership project is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schools.

Work Group dates:

Day 1 – Wednesday 1^st February 10.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.

Day 2 – Thursday 9th March 9.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

Day 3 – Thursday 4th May 9.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

Day 4 – Tuesday 27^th June 9.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

Who can take part?

Phase 1 Communities in this project are for those identified as Early Career Teachers – teachers in their first or second year of teaching. Phase 2 Communities are for those in the early part of their careers. They will have engaged with Phase 1 before engaging with this phase.

What is involved?

Two maths-specific subject knowledge projects are available to support secondary Early Career Teachers (ECTs) – one is for ECTs who have not yet participated in this project and one is for those who participated in 2021/22. Both projects offer high-quality subject knowledge and pedagogy maths support for ECTs, recognising the requirements of the ECF.

The communities formed as part of the project provide an opportunity for participants’ conversation to remain focused on the teaching of maths, with teachers at a similar stage of their career.

What will you learn?

• Your students will be seen to elaborate when responding to questions, showing that their answer stems from a secure understanding
• You will identify essential concepts, knowledge, skills within the topic area and provide opportunity for all students to learn and master these critical components
• You will develop an understanding of approaches to assess students’ prior learning, so that learning sequences are planned to take this into account

What is the cost?

The SKTM Secondary Early Career Teachers Programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schools.

Have a look at this feature to learn more about the resources available to Early Career Teachers on the NCETM website.

Work Group dates:

TBC

Who can take part?

This programme is for non-specialist teachers of maths in state-funded schools who fit the following definition:

“A non-specialist teacher of mathematics is a teacher in a state-funded school or college that is currently teaching some mathematics or has commitment from a headteacher/executive head to teach some mathematics within the next year, who has not undertaken Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in mathematics.”

If there is sufficient space in the cohort, other teachers of maths who do not fit this definition but would benefit from this support may also participate.

What is involved?

The programme is aligned to the NCETM teaching for mastery pedagogy and is based on six key themes:

• Structure of the number system
• Operating on number
• Multiplicative reasoning
• Sequences and graphs
• Statistics and probability
• Geometry.

Participants will explore these themes, supported by an experienced secondary practitioner.

We have produced a flyer which summarises the programme and its benefits. Download it to share with colleagues.

What will you learn?

The SKTM Programme offers participants:

• Six days, or the equivalent, of face-to-face or online expert input, plus further local support
• The opportunity to be part of a vibrant and supportive online community
• Access to high quality resources

What do participants think?

• “This programme has deepened my understanding of the representations and given me new strategies that I can use with my students in the classroom” – Emily
• “It is helping me reflect as a teacher. I don’t have a maths degree and although I can do the maths myself, it is all different from how I was taught before. My department has done a lot of work on teaching for mastery and this is helping me make sense of the work the faculty are doing” – Sam
• “This is my first year teaching maths, and I hadn’t heard of teaching for mastery before – this programme gives you so many different ways of thinking and approaching problems” – Jessica
• “My subject knowledge has gaps in maths – I am learning a great deal” – Francesca
• “It’s helping me build confidence, in particular with using correct vocabulary and learning different ways of delivering certain topics” – Carl

What about a head of maths?

• “From attending the programme, the non-specialist teacher’s confidence in his maths and the teaching of maths has improved. The expectations of his students are now higher. During lessons, subject-specific language is being used by students and they are expected to explain their methods using this language. Manipulatives and representations are a regular feature of the teacher’s lessons and this has supported students in understanding the structure of the maths” – Karen, Head of Maths Department

What is the cost?

The SKTM Secondary Non-specialist Teachers Programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schoo

Who can take part?

This project is for both primary and secondary schools. It may be particularly suitable for linked ‘families’ of schools: primary, secondary, etc. A ‘family’ could be a secondary school and their associated (feeder) primary schools or groups of schools from within a MAT. Lead participants should be teachers of Years 5-8, ideally with some responsibility for curriculum development.

What is involved?

Work Groups in this project focus on curriculum and pedagogical continuity over Years 5 to 8. Participants will explore a selection of high-quality resources: Checkpoints, Multiplicative Reasoning and Algebraic Thinking materials.

A lesson study approach is encouraged where all participants focus on a particular aspect of the maths curriculum and work collaboratively to develop this in their schools. Cross-phase classroom observation and discussion of practice are encouraged wherever possible.

What will you learn?

• Your pupils in KS2 and KS3 will demonstrate a positive attitude to maths
• You will make common use of approaches, representations and language across phases
• You will deepen your knowledge and understanding of the curriculum across KS2 and KS3 and the expectations of pupils at the end of each Key Stage
• You and your cross-phase colleagues will collaborate on issues of curriculum and pedagogy as a normal part of your schools’ transition practice

What is the cost?

The Years 5-8 Continuity project is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schools.

NCETM have also produced a flyer summarising the programme. Download it to share with colleagues in your own and other schools.