Secondary Teaching for Mastery - Sustaining

Secondary Teaching for Mastery Sustaining Work Groups are only for those departments who are participating or have participated in the Secondary Teaching for Mastery Embedding Work Groups and are working to develop principles and practices which enable them to sustain their developments over the long term.

Additionally, the expectation is that departments of Cohort 1, 2 and 3 Mastery Specialists will also participate in this Work Group. The focus will be on working on their planned developments as well as sharing and critiquing them with a group of schools in a professional learning community.

Who can take part?

Schools that have either participated in the Teaching for Mastery Development Work Groups or the Mastery Specialist Programme both join these Work Groups. Lead participants continue to be Mastery Advocates who have participated in a Secondary Teaching for Mastery Development Work Group, but particular Work Group sessions may also be joined by colleagues from their departments.


What is involved?

Each Work Group will have a focus for the year. The four foci for 2023/24 are:

  • developing mathematical thinking
  • developing coherence
  • developing mathematical coherence for learners across maths and science
  • a bespoke teaching for mastery focus.

Mastery Advocates will meet regularly throughout the year and the content of the various departments’ development plans will be the stimulus for how joint work will be devised and undertaken. Programme participants will:

  • visit a Work Group member’s department to engage in lesson observation and post-lesson discussion
  • collaboratively plan of a topic representing a shared interest and need
  • visit a primary school to engage in lesson observation and post-lesson discussion and/or collaborative planning of a transition-relevant topic
  • explore some maths together
  • share, discuss and critique the plans that departments have in place.

What will you learn?

Participants and their schools will:

  • cultivate a deep understanding of the principles and pedagogies of mastery
  • understand the leadership and management skills required to promote and develop a teaching for mastery approach
  • understand how to develop a coherent and connected curriculum which promotes teaching for mastery
  • produce a development plan and professional development programme for the department
  • develop support for the department through CPD and collaborative working practices.

What is the cost?

The Secondary Teaching for Mastery Embedding Work Groups project is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schools.

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How can I get involved?

If you have previously been in an Embedding Work Group and would like to join the Sustaining phase of the Teaching for Mastery programme in 24/25, please complete the form below.

Secondary Teaching for Mastery (Sustaining) 24/25