Local Leaders of Mathematics Education
In every Maths Hub area, there’s a group of experienced teachers and education professionals who lead all the school and professional development work run by the hub.
Who are local leaders of mathematics education?
Every Maths Hub has developed, and maintains, a group of individuals—based at a range of different schools and institutions—who lead all local work run by the hub. Known as local leaders of mathematics education, or LLMEs, these people draw on their own experience and expertise to support the work of the hub and lead other teachers' professional development. LLMEs include Maths Hub Leads, Assistant Maths Hub Leads, Work Group Leads, Cohort Leads and Community Leads.
If you participate in any professional or school development with the NCETM and your local Maths Hub, you will meet, and learn from, an LLME. These people are usually classroom-based, and draw on their own experience alongside evidence-based research to lead Maths Hubs activity in the form of Work Groups, programmes and communities.
It is important that LLMEs also have opportunity to develop themselves. Already demonstrating expertise in leading maths curriculum and pedagogy, maths professional development, and maths school development, LLMEs work in local hub-based communities to improve their own skills and knowledge.
For many LLMEs, leading Maths Hubs work is an alternative to the traditional career progression path of senior leadership. It provides the opportunity to continue teaching, and to work collaboratively with other local teachers and schools, as well as being part of a vibrant learning community with the hub's other LLMEs.
Most LLMEs begin their journey by participating in one or more of the NCETM's centrally-run professional development programmes.
- Mastery Specialist Programmes support individuals to develop and embed expertise in leading maths pedagogy and knowledge of how pupils learn maths.
- NCETM Professional Development Lead Programmes support individuals to develop and embed expertise in leading maths professional development and knowledge of how teachers of maths learn and develop.
- NCETM School Development Lead Programme supports individuals to develop and embed expertise in leading maths school development and knowledge of how leaders of maths learn and develop.
Local Leaders of Mathematics Education Strategic Goal
Maths Hubs identify, develop and support LLMEs who:
- lead high-quality school and professional development in mathematics, including Teaching for Mastery Work Groups; specialist knowledge for teaching mathematics programmes; and mathematics leadership communities
- establish and sustain long-term working relationships with leadership in schools and trusts, enabling them to agree the forms of support that will be most relevant for their needs
- are well prepared for their role through the NCETM-accredited LLME programmes (Mastery Specialist, Professional Development Lead, and School Development Lead), and through participation in NCETM-led project communities
- are supported and developed by their Maths Hub leadership through participation in their local LLME community
- are fully supported in their LLME role by their own school’s leadership and have external recognition for their expert role as local leaders of mathematics education.
The ambition is for each Maths Hub to have a team of at least 50 active LLMEs (2,000 across the country) in any year, providing an appropriate range of expertise to address the needs of schools in the Maths Hub area.