This is a bespoke programme supporting advocates to develop their own, then their department's, practices. Time spent on each activity will vary but the advocates can expect to spend 2-4 sessions working collaboratively with other schools and 3-4 sessions of support working alongside their Work Group Lead with their school.

This Work Group forms part of an overall Teaching for Mastery Programme designed to develop secondary mathematics departments that are well-led, high-performing and provide high quality professional development through collaborative working.

Two teachers from each of the Work Group schools will become ‘Mastery Advocates’ within their own departments. They will work closely with a Secondary Mastery Specialist to understand the principles and practices associated with teaching for mastery and will be encouraged and supported to work with teachers within their own departments to develop and refine these principles and practices.

If your department is interested in developing confident mathematicians with deep, connected understanding in your classes, apply to participate in a SHaW Maths Hub Secondary Teaching for Mastery Work Group for 2023-24. The Work Groups are funded, highly regarded, collaborative professional development opportunities for participants, with £2000 funding to lead collaborative improvement across the whole department.

SHaW Maths Hub appreciate the clear Teaching for Mastery statement kindly produced by Jurassic Maths Hub which can be found here

For more information about our local Work Groups, please contact the SHaW Maths Hub operations team via the SHaW Maths Hub email address: shawmathshub@pri.318education.co.uk

If you're interested please complete the Application form attached below

Who will be leading the group?

Secondary Teaching for Mastery Specialist Teachers, based in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wolverhampton.

Who is it for?

The Work Group is suitable for all Secondary Maths departments, irrespective of whether you have setting or mixed attainment classes. At least one of the two participants, or 'mastery advocates', should have responsibility to lead development across the department, ideally as subject leader or second in department. It is crucial that they have the full support of the head of department and headteacher, and that mechanisms are in place to enable development as outlined in the outcomes below.

What are the intended outcomes?

Pupil outcomes

In some of the Mastery Advocates’ classes:

• pupils develop a deep, secure and connected understanding of the maths they are learning
• pupils achieve both conceptual understanding and procedural fluency
• pupils enjoy maths lessons and have a positive attitude to learning the subject.

Departmental policies and approaches

Mastery Advocates (alongside subject leaders) will:

• begin to develop a common vision, culture and set of principles which support teaching for mastery across the department 
• begin to develop teaching for mastery approaches within their own departments. This may initially include:
  • exploring approaches in lessons
  • supporting the development of some colleagues’ practice
  • begin to develop an understanding of the leadership and management skills required to enable them to effectively promote and develop teaching for mastery approaches across the department.

Practice development

Mastery Advocates will:

• develop effective teaching, planning and assessment strategies which support a teaching for mastery approach.

Mastery Advocates (with the support of subject leaders) will:

• begin to support the teachers in their department in developing these approaches in their practice.

Professional learning

Mastery Advocates will:

• have a deep understanding of the principles and practices associated with teaching for mastery.

Subject leaders and some teachers will:

• begin to develop an understanding of the principles and practices associated with teaching for mastery.

What will it involve?

Most of the time will be spent with the specialist working alongside and supporting the Advocates in developing their own and their colleagues’ practice, and their department’s structures and systems. This will include a comination of direct support and working alongside colleagues from another school, to include:

• Mastery Specialist leading PD sessions to enable Mastery Advocates them to understand the principles and practices associated with teaching for mastery.
• Mastery Specialists supporting the Advocates to enable them to run PD sessions for their departmental colleagues; this could include shared planning (and possibly co-leading) of sessions, but the intention is for the Advocates to take the leading role in working with their departments
• Advocates observing the specialist in the specialist’s own school
• Specialist observing and giving feedback to Advocates. This might be of, and following, a lesson, a PD session, a departmental meeting or a planning meeting.
• Mastery Specialists working alongside Advocates and other members of the department to jointly plan individual lessons, sequences of lessons or longer units of work
• Specialists working alongside Advocates to support other departmental members as appropriate
• Specialists working alongside Advocates to develop schemes of work and other departmental systems and structures to allow for a full teaching for mastery approach.

What is the cost?

Participation is FREE.

Funding for the year is £2000 per school with two teachers participating, attending all workshops.

Please complete and return booking from this link to shawmathshub@pri.318education.co.uk

2023-24 Teaching for Mastery Development Work Group Information & Application Form