This project aims to secure firm foundations in the development of good number sense for all children from Reception through to Year 1 and Year 2. Fuller details and links about the Mastering Number programme, including live online taster sessions, can be found here. Please apply using the booking button below.

This programme will develop solid number sense, including fluency and flexibility with number facts, which will have a lasting impact on future learning for all children. The programme will also involve high quality professional development for teachers.

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will have a daily teacher-led session of 10 to 15 minutes, in addition to their daily maths lesson, designed to ensure that pupils develop fluency with, and understanding of, number that is crucial to future success in maths and academic progress more generally. Resources, including lesson plans, visual resources and practical equipment, will be provided.

The core professional development programme will be delivered by an experienced team from the NCETM, led by the NCETM’s Director of Primary Mathematics, Debbie Morgan. It will involve the lead teachers, maths subject lead and headteacher engaging in a range of synchronous and asynchronous online professional development, including three live sessions, across the academic year.

Who will be leading the group?

SHaW Maths Hub will be running three or four groups with up to 40 schools per group, each led by a professional experienced in early maths and in leading professional development locally. During the year, teachers in the Work Group will work together to share experiences and reflect on the impact of the programme on their pupils and on themselves as teachers. The Work Group Lead will facilitate and steer regular discussion among participants in a dedicated online community. This ongoing cross-fertilisation of experiences, ideas and successes will create a vibrant and sustained professional learning experience for all those taking part. It will also significantly benefit pupils in the participating schools.

Who is it for?

A school’s participation involves teachers from each of Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (in one-form entry schools), the maths subject lead, and the headteacher. In small schools, there may be just one or two participating class teachers. In larger, multi-form schools, it is expected that lead teachers support colleagues in Reception and KS1 to adopt the same approach in their classes, to ensure consistency across the school.

Priority booking will be given to schools:

• with the highest proportion of disadvantaged children
• that are participating in Sustaining Mastery Work Groups in 2021/22 or have not yet engaged with teaching for mastery

What will it involve?

Participating in the Work Group will provide the following benefits to participant schools:

• High quality support for teacher professional development for the lead teachers, directed by the NCETM and facilitated by SHaW Maths Hub
• Supportive and collaborative online community facilitated by the Work Group Lead
• Resources provided, including coherent plans for the Mastering Number daily sessions in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2
• Sets of the central physical resource: the abacus-like rekenrek
• No charge for participation.

For the central PD workshops, teachers will not all need to be released at the same time, but it will be on the same morning or afternoon. There will be separate PD workshops for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 lead teachers.  Very small schools that have a Reception/Y1/Y2 class with a sole teacher will need to release the teacher for the whole morning or afternoon to attend all three sessions. Different arrangements will be put in place for headteachers and maths leads.

What is the cost?

There is no charge to schools participating in the programme. Resources will be provided for each school, in order for them to teach daily sessions of the Mastering Number Programme. Central to the programme will be a small, abacus-like piece of equipment called a rekenrek, which will be provided for use by children in participating classes.

 

Expectations of participating schools

Schools chosen to participate in the Work Group commit to the following expectations:

•    The school will introduce Mastering Number as a daily fluency session for all pupils in all Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes. This session will be in addition to their daily maths lesson, which could be shortened as a result of participation in this Work Group.

•    Teachers will be expected to contribute regularly to an online community led by the Work Group Lead, reflecting on the implementation and impact of the programme, as well as attending two, more formal online sessions, during 2021/22

•    Participants in the project will engage in all online synchronous and asynchronous professional development, including three live sessions, throughout the academic year

•    The school will provide any feedback required by the Maths Hub and participate in any evaluation processes required.

Schools must book lead teachers for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 to complete their application. If a teacher teaches a mixed age class across this range, please note this in the 'Role and Year Group taught' section.

Please confirm agreement from your Headteacher and Maths Lead by providing their names and email addresses in the 'joint booking' section from the booking link below:​