Secondary Teaching for Mastery Work Groups

Join our Teaching for Mastery Work Groups and build confident, capable maths learners through a collaborative, whole-department approach.

What Will Students Gain?

By embedding teaching for mastery approaches across your department, students will:

• Develop a deep, connected understanding of the maths they learn

• Achieve strong conceptual understanding alongside procedural fluency

• Think, reason, and communicate their maths ideas clearly and confidently

• Cultivate a positive mindset and reach high levels of achievement

What Will Your Department Gain?

By taking part, teachers and leaders will:

• Share a unified vision and approach, grounded in the NCETM’s Essence of Mathematics Teaching for Mastery

• Embed consistent teaching for mastery practices across the department

• Establish collaborative structures that support ongoing professional growth

Developing Your Practice

Teachers will work together to:

• Strengthen classroom practices in line with mastery principles

• Build a coherent, ambitious curriculum in a supportive, learning-focused culture

• Create and deliver a tailored development plan, driven by clear aims and evidence of need

Growing Through Professional Learning

Participants will:

• Deepen their understanding of mastery teaching

• Recognise the power of collaboration in shaping great curriculum

• Gain clarity on the leadership and systems needed to embed change

• Explore the principles behind designing a connected, mastery-focused curriculum

• Experience the benefits of collaborative, sustained professional development

Who Should Join?

These Work Groups are open to secondary schools already engaged with the Teaching for Mastery Programme, including:

• Schools involved in previous Development Work Groups

• Schools with a trained Secondary Mastery Specialist (Cohorts 1–8)

Each school will send two participants—ideally including at least one Mastery Specialist or Advocate—to work collaboratively throughout the year. Sessions will be the equivalent of three days (a mix of online and in-person), and will include collaborative lesson observations and ongoing implementation support.

What’s Coming Up?

BBO Maths Hub will offer the following range of focus areas for 2025/26:

• Focus A: Developing mathematical thinking across the department
• Focus B: Improving collaborative planning and lesson observation
• Focus C: Deepening understanding of teaching for mastery principles

There is also an expectation that subject leaders take part in the Subject Leader Community (NCP25-15).

Want to bring your department together and embed lasting change in maths teaching?

👉 Sign up now and join a community committed to excellence in maths education.