Secondary Teaching for Mastery

Developing collaborative planning/observation within maths departments

Who can take part?

Secondary Teaching for Mastery Work Groups are for teachers in schools which have previously engaged with a Secondary Teaching for Mastery Programme or Work Group. This includes all schools which have previously engaged with a Development, Embedding or Sustaining Work Group and schools who have had a Secondary Mastery Specialist trained in Cohorts 1 to 8.

What is involved?

A pair of participants from each school will join the Work Group, the pair will ideally comprise at least one Mastery Specialist or Mastery Advocate.

Work Groups will meet for the equivalent of three days across the year; some of this might be online and some might be in-person.

The intention of this Work Group is for teaching for mastery to be developed across the entire department. Consequently, all Work Groups should include a continual thread of implementation, supporting participants to work effectively with other members of their department.

Within each Work Group, participants will also have an opportunity for collaborative lesson observation.

For all participant schools there is also an expectation that the subject leader participates in a subject leader community (NCP25-15).

What is the cost?

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

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What are the intended outcomes?

Student outcomes

In almost all classes within the department, students will:

  • develop a deep, secure and connected understanding of the maths they are learning
  • achieve both conceptual understanding and procedural fluency
  • think, reason and discuss their maths in order to deepen their understanding
  • have a positive attitude to maths and attain high levels of achievement in maths.

Practice development

Participants and their departments will:

  • continue to develop classroom practices aligned to those in the NCETM’s Essence of Mathematics Teaching for Mastery
  • collaborate to create a coherent curriculum in a culture of professional learning
  • develop and implement a coherent and ambitious sustained development plan with clear aims based on evidence of need, and an associated professional development programme which will support all departmental members in meeting these aims.

Professional learning

Participants and their departments will:

  • have a deep understanding of the practices aligned to those in the NCETM’s Essence of Mathematics Teaching for Mastery
  • understand the value of collaboration in creating a coherent curriculum in a culture of professional learning
  • have a clear understanding of the leadership and management support required to enable them to effectively develop teaching for mastery approaches within their own departments
  • understand the principles and practices behind the creation of a coherent and connected curriculum which promotes teaching for mastery
  • understand the benefits of collaborative professional development.

'The percentage of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above improved significantly, almost reaching our stretch target. Despite this, the drive to improve continues (as it should do), with a focus on improving 5+ and 7+ as well this year.

We have adopted the White Rose SOW in Y7-9. I thought I would go 'all in' as it were, as it meant that we can already begin to start thinking how we can adapt the baseline curriculum on a larger scale. We will be moving to White Rose in Y10 next year and Y11 the year after - at least that is the current plan. Staff are enjoying the resources and we are fitting in nicely with a lot of the whole school foci, such as the importance of recall and retention (WR is great for that).

Weighing it all up, I don't think we would be in such a positive position this year without the work we did with your group last year. I have filled in the application form and am only waiting on Lucy to sign it off. Forecasts for this year are also looking very positive, so I hope to continue this trend'.

Participant on Developing TfM with Helen Billinge

How can I get involved?

If you have previously been in a Developing, Embedding or Sustaining Work Group, please complete the form below to join the Teaching for Mastery Work Group in 25/26.

Secondary Teaching for Mastery 25/26