Primary Teaching for Mastery
Participate in a Maths Hub Primary Teaching for Mastery Work Group this year
Primary
What is teaching for mastery?
Mastering maths means pupils of all ages acquiring a deep, long-term, secure and adaptable understanding of the subject. The phrase ‘teaching for mastery’ describes the elements of classroom practice and school organisation that combine to give pupils the best chances of mastering maths. Achieving mastery means acquiring a solid enough understanding of the maths that’s been taught to enable pupils to move on to more advanced material.
Teaching for mastery is widespread in primary schools across England, with around 9,000 primary schools engaging with their local Maths Hub, and over 850 primary teachers training as Mastery Specialists.
There is further information and an article available on the NCETM website which has a discussion with Dr Debbie Morgan, the NCETM’s Director for Primary, which answers all our questions about mathematical thinking in this Q&A feature.
Mastery Specialists spearhead the Teaching for Mastery Programme across the country. Teachers who train as Mastery Specialists are given a year’s intensive training in the principles of teaching for mastery, underpinned by its Five Big Ideas, and in professional development leadership. In the following year, they further develop teaching for mastery in their own schools. And they share the approach with neighbouring schools by leading Teaching for Mastery Work Groups.
The Five Big Ideas underpin teaching for mastery in both primary and secondary schools.
Helen Tantouri – Headteacher, Valewood Primary School, Sefton
“Having a Primary Mastery Specialist in our school has allowed us to build strong, collaborative CPD for all of our own staff as well as for visiting teachers. The focus on maintaining momentum in improving outcomes in mathematics has been very beneficial for all of our staff- experienced teachers and also ECTs. The leadership skills of our PMS have been great to see and hear – both when he is supporting colleagues from other schools and also when he is leading by example in our own school.”
