In 2019/20, West Yorkshire Maths Hub is again running primary mathematics Mastery Readiness Work Groups led by Mastery Readiness Leads. This programme is for schools who have a commitment to developing a teaching for mastery approach long term, but who currently
need additional support for improving mathematics teaching, learning and leadership. Participation involves two teachers attending events outside of the school and then leading development across the whole school. Each Maths Hub is now seeking to recruit schools
for Work Groups, each involving up to eight schools.
Background
Since 2014, the NCETM and Maths Hubs have been working together to develop
approaches to teaching for mastery within primary mathematics. This has been partly informed by the teaching of mathematics in high performing South East Asian jurisdictions. Beginning last year, the NCETM and Maths Hubs have recruited schools to participate
in a Mastery Readiness programme and these schools will continue to work in Teaching for Mastery Work Groups for two further years as they develop teaching for mastery in their schools.
The Mastery Readiness Work Groups
Each Work Group will be led by one of the Maths Hub’s Mastery Readiness Leads and involve up to eight primary schools. During the year, they will work closely together to develop subject and pedagogical knowledge as well as supporting teaching, learning
and leadership of mathematics across the school by looking at the Five Big Ideas of Mastery Readiness to lay the foundations to developing teaching for mastery in an effective and sustainable manner. The Work Group activity will include:
- Each school identifying two teachers to lead developments within their school, one of whom should be the maths lead
- The two teachers working together with the Mastery Readiness Lead and teachers from the other Work Group schools in half termly workshops. It is vital that the headteacher attends at least the first workshop with their staff
- Each school receiving half termly support visits from the Mastery Readiness Lead to support the participants and leaders to develop and work on an action plan for the school
- The headteacher working with the Mastery Readiness Lead and other members of the Maths Hub leadership to develop whole school policies and structures to support teaching for mastery
- The lead teachers, supported by the headteacher, working with colleagues to lay foundations for developing teaching for mastery approaches in the classroom, supported by collaborative professional development activity
- Following the first year the schools are expected to then continue being part of the Teaching for Mastery Work Group led by a Mastery Specialist. Beyond that year, there will be opportunities to continue embedding a teaching for mastery approach with the
support of a specialist and other schools.
Benefits for participating schools
Participating in the Work Group will provide the following benefits to participant schools:
- High quality support the school including teacher professional development for the lead teachers, facilitated by the Mastery Readiness Lead
- Support for the headteacher in addressing leadership issues related to improving the teaching learning and leadership of Mathematics from the Mastery Readiness Lead and the Maths Hub’s leadership team
- Opportunity to work closely with other schools also at a Mastery Readiness stage
- No charge for participation or for school improvement support and regular professional development (a grant of £1000 to help subsidise teacher release time in the Teaching for Mastery Development Work Group in 2020/21)
- A £200 payment as a contribution to maths resources
- In the second year, Financial help, should the school make the decision to purchase textbooks (subject to DfE confirmation).
Who can apply
Mastery Readiness is designed for schools who are not yet in a position to develop teaching for mastery but want to in the future.
NB - as an Opportunity Area, all Bradford schools who have not previously been part of a TfM work group are entitled to a place on Mastery Readiness.
Expectations of participating schools
Schools participating in the Work Group commit to the following expectations:
- The lead teachers will participate in half termly workshops with the Mastery Readiness Lead and complete gap tasks
- The lead teachers will be released to work with Mastery Readiness Lead for half-day school visits each half term
- The headteacher will meet with the Mastery Readiness Lead regularly during the bespoke school visits
- The school will introduce a vision for implementing teaching for mastery approaches across the school, and will actively work on an action plan in order for the school to be Mastery Ready by the end of 2019/20. This could include introducing or developing
collaborative, in-school professional development models to support all teachers and teaching assistants
- The school will provide any reports required by the Maths Hub and participate in any evaluation processes required
- The school will continue to work with other schools in the Teaching for Mastery Work Group for the year 2020/21 and beyond.
Funding
There is no charge to schools participating in the Mastery Readiness Work Group. There is no charge for the bespoke support of the Mastery Readiness Lead. Schools will receive a payment of £200 for maths resources and be eligible for further Financial benefits
in the following year.
How to apply
Schools interested in applying to be part of a Work Group in 2019/20 should complete the application form available here:
https://wymathshub.co.uk/mastery-specialists/mastery-readiness/ and submit to West Yorkshire Maths Hub -
wymathshub@trinitytsa.co.uk. deadline Friday 3rd October 2019
The launch event for 2019/20 participants will be on Thursday 10th October 2019
There is the opportunity to engage in the programme with other schools that you already work with, for example as part of an Academy Trust or local cluster of schools. Each school must still make an individual application, but you can indicate on the application
form the schools you would like to be placed with.
Once the school has applied, the Maths Hub will then make contact with you to explain next steps.