Resources and CPD for the new school year

As a new school year starts, we think it’s worth highlighting the new, and not-so-new, resources and professional development opportunities available via this website and through your local Maths Hub. We hope there’s something here to help you get the autumn term off to a smooth start.

Primary

Our new Curriculum Prioritisation materials offer a sequenced pathway in maths for every year group, and for the whole school year. For each unit of teaching, we provide a breakdown of learning outcomes, supported by slides you can use in the classroom. The resource is also a substantial professional development tool. It guides you to other places on the website that, for each area of maths, detail the evidence of prior learning that must be in place, and potential areas of misconception to look out for.

Among the supporting resources are PowerPoints that exemplify the ready-to-progress criteria listed in the DfE guidance for primary maths which came out in summer 2020. And underpinning everything are the popular Primary Mastery Professional Development Materials, established on our website now for several years.

It’s also worth noting here that the 190 short video lessons, produced during the first lockdown in 2020, are still available. They could be used, among other things, for one-to-one or small group sessions with selected pupils.

Many of these resources are drawn upon in the Work Groups linked to this year’s Maths Hubs projects aimed at helping primary schools improve maths teaching across the board. One of this year’s new programmes is specifically tailored for teachers in the first two years of their careers, now known under the new category of Early Career Teachers (ECT).

Most of these involve teachers concentrating on an area of maths teaching, or school/departmental development over an elongated period. Collaborating with colleagues in other schools is a key component of the experience. Contact your local Maths Hub for information about available projects.

In particular, if you’re reading this before 14 September, there may still be a chance for your school to join the Mastering Number Programme, which aims to strengthen ‘number sense’ in all Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils.

Secondary

Our new Checkpoints materials are specifically designed to help autumn term Year 7 maths lessons get off to a smooth start. The PowerPoints contain diagnostic activities to help teachers assess the understanding students have brought with them from primary school, and pointers to help address gaps that become evident. There’ll be enough for three activities a week for the whole school year. Each one last about ten minutes. To support teachers and departments to get the best use out of these, there’s a series of professional development seminars throughout the year.

The Checkpoints are all rooted in the core concepts underpinning the Secondary Mastery Professional Development Materials, which cover the whole of KS3. Each of the 17 core concepts is amplified in depth, and broken down into its constituent key ideas.

Meanwhile Maths Hubs are recruiting for a range of professional development projects that run for a large part of the school year. There’s something for secondary teachers of all levels of experience, including those just starting out in the profession, now known as Early Career Teachers (ECT). Contact your local Maths Hub to find out which project would be good for you, a colleague, or your department, this year.