When booking, please note the dates and times in your diary, and submit your cover request in school.

‘Early Years settings and schools should invest in developing practitioners’ own understanding of mathematics, their understanding of how children typically learn, and how this relates to effective pedagogy.’ – EEF KS1 Guidance Report           

This programme supports Early Years teachers to develop specialist knowledge for teaching maths, complementing best practices in Early Years and developmental learning trajectories.

Cohort Leads will work with participants for the equivalent of four days, utilising NCETM resources and collaboratively designing school-based tasks that will influence practice development. There will be planned opportunities for participants to share the impact their practice change has had on pupils’ learning in maths.

There are highly-regarded centrally produced core materials for the Spatial Reasoning pathway – three modules focused on maths and three modules with a pedagogy focus – that have been piloted and refined over several years. Cohort Leads use the core materials in their programme, which they tailor according to the needs of the participants.

Who is it for?

This programme is designed for Early Years teachers who would like to further develop their specialist knowledge for teaching maths. It will be particularly relevant for individual teachers that have not received maths-specific training. Maths leads in primary schools who want to deepen their knowledge of Early Years maths practice would benefit from participating in this programme. A maths lead may find that participating alongside an Early Years teacher from their school will support their understanding of progression from Foundation Stage to KS1.

What are the intended outcomes?

Pupil outcomes

Pupils will:

• be able to communicate their maths and mathematical thinking through graphical representations and/or appropriate language
• use mathematical vocabulary and thinking in everyday activities
• demonstrate a positive attitude towards maths, being willing to have a go, persevere, and share their mathematical ideas.

Practice development

Participants will:

• explore and increase their use of a range of pedagogic approaches that will support pupils in engaging with and developing their maths
• increase their confidence in enhancing opportunities for mathematical learning in all areas of provision
• model the use of mathematical language and thinking as part of everyday activities in the setting.

Professional learning

Participants will:

• demonstrate enhanced maths subject knowledge using developmental learning trajectories to assess and plan for sequential leaning opportunities
• understand how maths opportunities can be developed across all areas and in everyday routines. 

What will it involve?

Participants will attend the equivalent of four days, where they will collaboratively work on maths tasks facilitated by Cohort Leads. There is opportunity for structured conversations in order to unpick the maths, the pedagogy modelled within sessions, misconceptions that pupils have, and how the approaches can be transferred to the participants’ classrooms. Between sessions, participants contribute to their online community, complete school-based tasks, and share their observations through discussions with peers.

What is the cost?

Funded by DfE so participation is free for schools