The Teaching for Mastery Work Groups bring together schools who have established approaches across their school and provides support on key elements plus some elective sessions to suit requirements
Who can take part?
Schools will have previously completed their Developing /Embedding years (or Introductory years). Participating schools must show strong commitment from their leadership for sustaining mastery approaches, and for most teachers to have already started using these.
Each school will have a lead participant in the Work Group, normally the Maths Lead. At different points in the year, other teachers may also be able to participate.
What is involved?
Teaching for Mastery Work Groups are an ongoing form of support where schools can focus on continued improvement, consistency and refinement of teaching for mastery. Teachers, maths leads and headteachers are all involved, striving to support teachers, and looking at collaborative planning and subject knowledge development. The expectation is that schools remain in this Work Group for many years to come.
The time requirement for teachers is broken down as follows:
Launch Session (Autumn Term) – a face-to-face session for the Headteacher and Maths Lead, 2pm -4pm (approx – full details / venues to be confirmed) – introducing the programme and outlining expectations.
Teacher Research Groups (TRGs) for the Maths Lead
TRG 1 – Autumn Term: Full-day, face-to-face session including observation of a Teaching for Mastery lesson, with structured pre- and post-lesson discussions.
TRG 2 – Spring Term: Half-day, face-to-face session including lesson observation, with pre- and post-lesson discussions..
TRG 3 – Summer Term: Half-day, face-to-face session including lesson observation, with pre- and post-lesson discussions.
Collaborative Sessions for the Maths Lead
Schools will select their topics in the Autumn Term. Topics will focus on school priority areas e.g. Developing Problem Solving, SEND in mainstream, Developing Curriculum.
Spring Term: Half-day, face-to-face collaborative session.
Summer Term: Half-day, face-to-face collaborative session.
Bespoke Professional Development Sessions (Optional but highly popular)
Schools may nominate additional staff to attend bespoke sessions, with sign-up in the Autumn Term.
Each bespoke programme consists of two sessions, requiring half-day release for each (total 1 day).
These have been highly popular and include areas such as Refreshing the Mastering Number programmes, Oracy and Developing Additive and Multiplicative Fluency.
What will you learn?
- Enhance your mathematical subject knowledge, emphasising key areas of maths
- Plan, teach and reflect on lessons with a mastery approach
- Understand the school-wide structures which enable staff to develop mastery approaches
- Along with your school leaders, will establish systems to support ongoing professional learning within school
What is the cost?
The Primary Teaching for Mastery Work Groups for Established schools are fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so provided completely free to participating state-funded schools.
What should I do next?
If your school started their Teaching for Mastery and has paused along the way, you are very welcome to re-engage with the programme.
Why not join our ‘Re-engaging with Teaching for Mastery – What’s Changed, What’s New? A Breakfast Briefing for Primary Leaders on 18 June at 8.00am (online). Register below to receive the Zoom link. This meeting is ideal for Headteachers, SLT and Maths Leads.
And when you are ready to re-engage please complete the application form below as soon as possible, so we can secure your place at a suitable location for you.
Note – if your school is already engaged in a Teaching for Mastery Work Group in 2025-26, PLEASE DO NOT COMPLETE THE FORM. Your Mastery Specialist will give you details of the programme at your final TRG in June – you don’t need to re-apply.