The programme
Teaching for Mastery and its continued development within a school has been shown to have a significant and positive impact on pupil progress, and gained significant recognition in the Ofsted subject report. The Teaching for Mastery Work Groups provide ongoing collaborative professional development for secondary maths departments, to support sustaining teaching for mastery approaches over time.
Who can take part?
Participation is for schools that have, in previous years, participated in a Teaching for Mastery Work Group, or where a Mastery Specialist is training or has completed their training. Schools may also be invited to join specific pathways should they meet their departmental development plans.
What is involved?
Each school has its own strengths and challenges. Our model for 2026–27 offers schools a choice of focus for their department, so you can pick the pathway that best fits your development plan. Each Work Group provides a professional learning community that helps schools continue to develop teaching for mastery in their own setting, with support and challenge from colleagues in other schools.
What is the cost?
These Work Groups are fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme, so they are free to participating state schools and participants.
What should you do next?
Pick the pathway that best fits your department's development plan.
Register for the group or theme(s) you want using the Register now button beside the dates.
You can join more than one pathway if your school has capacity for all the session dates.
Choose your pathway
There are three pathways for 2026–27. Compare them below, then scroll down for full details and registration.
Improving Collaborative Planning & Lesson Observation
Embed co-planning and reflective observation within your own department.
Where: Woking
Time: 09:30 – 14:30
Sessions: 3 days
Developing Pedagogy
Refreshing practice and deepening understanding from KS2 to KS5.
Where: Oxted or Woking
Time: varies by location
Sessions: 3 days
SEND Action Research: Focus Theme Groups
Three focus themes. Choose 1, 2 or all 3.
Where: Woking
Time: 10:00 – 15:00
Sessions: 2 per theme, incl. Teach Meet
Improving Collaborative Planning & Lesson Observation
A programme run within your own department to build consistency and shared learning.
Supports stronger team consistency, a culture of shared learning and improved student outcomes through more aligned and reflective teaching.
Departments wanting a shared, consistent approach to planning and observation.
Full programme details
- Explore effective ways to co-plan schemes of work and individual lessons with colleagues
- Use collaborative, reflective lesson observation
- Build a cohesive approach to teaching and learning
Dates & registration
Developing Pedagogy Work Groups
Refreshing practice. Deepening understanding. Inspiring both teachers and students.
Look at progression in key mathematical ideas from KS2 to KS5, and at where traditional approaches reach their limits, then refine your department's approach through evidence-informed dialogue.
Teachers seeking fresh inspiration and professional challenge, committed to improving outcomes for students. Ideally a minimum of 3 years' experience teaching across at least two key stages.
Full programme details
- Progression in key mathematical ideas from KS2 to KS5
- The limits of successful traditional pedagogical approaches
- Transition points, barriers and common misconceptions
- Students' mathematical development across phases
- Rich tasks, professional discussion, collaborative problem-solving
- Departmental approaches through evidence-informed dialogue
Dates & registration
SEND Action Research: Focus Theme Groups
Ensuring every student can succeed in maths. SEND is everyone's responsibility: all teachers are teachers of SEND.
Choose 1, 2 or all 3 focus themes. Each theme has one session day plus the shared Teach Meet on Wednesday 23 June 2027. You can send different colleagues to each theme.
All sessions run 10:00 – 15:00 at The Training Suite, St John the Baptist School, Elmbridge Lane, Woking GU22 9AL.
Full programme details
- Focus on equity, disadvantage and inclusive classroom practice
- How Teaching for Mastery supports deep understanding for all students
- Practitioner-led action research
- Define and explore a research question in your own context
- Share findings at the end-of-year Teach Meet
Teach Meet · 23 June 2027
All participants document their learning between their two sessions, then attend the end-of-year event in June to share findings and learn from colleagues across all 3 SEND themes.
Where several colleagues from the same school attend, they are encouraged to work together, sharing and embedding their learning across the wider maths department.
Schools present a reflection on the changes they have made and the impact on departmental practice, teaching approaches and pupil outcomes.
Teaching for Mastery, Equity and SEND
Develop understanding of how the principles of Teaching for Mastery, alongside a focus on equity, disadvantage and oracy, can support improved outcomes for pupils with SEND.
Teachers of maths. Particularly useful for colleagues new to a department with an established Teaching for Mastery approach.
Supporting Intervention and Classroom Practice at Key Stage 4
Secondary Teaching Assistants and intervention tutors are a valuable resource in schools. This theme builds their confidence and effectiveness in supporting pupils beyond KS3 maths, focusing on key KS4 content and the needs of pupils with SEND.
LSAs / Teaching Assistants, intervention tutors and teachers who support students at KS4.
Representations and Structure for Inclusion
Explore how representations and structure, as key elements of Teaching for Mastery, can help all pupils, particularly those with SEND, make progress, deepen understanding and develop mathematical thinking.
All teachers of maths.