Mastering maths means students of all ages acquiring a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. The phrase ‘teaching for mastery’ describes the elements of classroom practice and school organisation that combine to give students the best chances of mastering maths. Behind all NCETM and Maths Hubs work in the field of teaching for mastery are Five Big Ideas, all informed by research evidence and classroom experience. The diagram below helps bind these ideas together:
A true understanding of these ideas will probably come about only after discussion with other teachers and by exploring how the ideas are reflected in day-to-day maths teaching, but here’s a flavour of what lies behind them:
Teaching is designed to enable a coherent learning progression through the curriculum, providing access for all pupils to develop a deep and connected understanding of mathematics that they can apply in a range of contexts
Teachers carefully select representations of mathematics to expose mathematical structure. The intention is to support pupils in ‘seeing’ the mathematics, rather than using the representation as a tool to ‘do’ the mathematics. These representations become mental images that students can use to think about mathematics, supporting them to achieve a deep understanding of mathematical structures and connections.
Mathematical thinking is central to how pupils learn mathematics and includes looking for patterns and relationships, making connections, conjecturing, reasoning, and generalising. Pupils should actively engage in mathematical thinking in all lessons, communicating their ideas using precise mathematical language.
Efficient, accurate recall of key number facts and procedures is essential for fluency, freeing pupils’ minds to think deeply about concepts and problems, but fluency demands more than this. It requires pupils to have the flexibility to move between different contexts and representations of mathematics, to recognise relationships and make connections, and to choose appropriate methods and strategies to solve problems.
The purpose of variation is to draw closer attention to a key feature of a mathematical concept or structure through varying some elements while keeping others constant.
Teaching for mastery is a Department of Education initiative that started in 2016. The purpose of the initiative is to develop Mathematics teaching and learning in England. The aim is that all schools in England will eventually be teaching using this methodology and regional maths hubs like the BBO Maths Hub are the primary vehicles for delivering this. There are two complementary journey’s to teaching for mastery – one for a school which enables school leaders and teachers to introduce, implement and embed teaching for mastery in their school. Another journey is for those individual teachers who would like to take their skills beyond the level of implementation within their own school and become a Mastery Specialist – helping other schools implement teaching for mastery.
Develop a Teaching for Mastery approach to maths in your primary school
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Support for schools who have completed the Introductory phase with a focus on continual implementation
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Support for departments embedding Teaching for Mastery across Key Stages 3 & 4
There are currently hundreds of Mastery Specialists supporting colleagues in their own schools and beyond to develop mastery approaches to maths teaching. Mastery Specialists are classroom-based practitioners who develop expertise in teaching for mastery and lead Work Groups to support other schools and teachers locally.
In this first year, 10 days will need to be set aside. This will include attendance at all three residentials (6 days), working with other teachers in their school (3 days) and hosting of a trial Teacher Research Group (TRG) in the summer term (1 day). The Primary Curriculum Prioritisation Materials will be drawn upon during these residentials, as these link to the Primary Mastery Professional Development Materials and the 2020 DfE primary mathematics guidance.
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Following completion of the Mastery Specialist Programme, you may be deployed as a Local Leader of Mathematics Education (LLME). If you are not already accredited as a PD Lead, you may also be expected to engage in this programme in subsequent years.
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Participate in professional development events and focus on developing your own classroom teaching.
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Focus on developing Teaching for Mastery approaches within your own department and honing your skills in leading professional development.
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During the first year, the emphasis will be on the lead teacher developing their knowledge, understanding and skills of teaching for mastery in their own establishment.
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Join a collaborative cohort of Mastery Specialists according to their provision type and continue to develop teaching for mastery approaches in their own institutions
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