Schools with additional challenges need bespoke support to ensure their systems and cultures are conducive to a teaching for mastery approach. This project is for schools who are not yet ready to join the Teaching for Mastery Development Programme.

Schools identified for the project would meet at least one of the following criteria:

• the school has been judged as RI or Inadequate for at least their most recent Ofsted inspection
• there is poor progress or attainment data for maths across the school which cannot be solely attributed to the results of Covid disruption
• the school has been identified by their Local Authority or supporting NLE as being suitable for the programme
• the school serves an area of low social mobility
• there has previously been a high turnover of staff, meaning that the implementation of sustained change can be difficult, but the school is stable and committed to teaching for mastery in the longer term.

One benefit of joining Mastery Readiness is to begin to collaborate with and support other schools – enjoying the advantages of being part of a Work Group community. All participating schools will then be ready to progress into Development Work Groups in 2025/26 after the Mastery Readiness phase, followed by Embedding and Sustaining Work Groups in subsequent years.



Mastery Readiness Work Groups focus on two key areas:

• the development of effective leadership that will remove barriers and put in place structures to support change and teacher professional development in relation to teaching for mastery
• the development of classroom culture and attitudes to maths that will support a teaching for mastery approach, on the part of both teachers and their pupils.

Workshops for participants offer opportunity for reflection on current practice as well as developing knowledge of effective maths pedagogy and leadership. This is coupled with regular, bespoke school visits which aim to shape actions which work towards each school’s own vision for maths using a teaching for mastery approach. It is a supportive relationship between the Mastery Readiness Lead and each school.

The maths lead and one other lead participant from the school should attend workshops, and lead work back in the school, with the support of a Mastery Readiness Lead. Participation from the headteacher is essential, especially but not exclusively during each school visit. The lead participants must be in a position to consider, trial and evaluate changes to the school’s policies and practices. The lead participants will attend all workshops and be released from usual duties to take part in regular school visits across the academic year 2024/25.

The workshops will focus on the Five Catalysts for Change: Vision and Culture; Subject Expertise; Mathematical Mindsets; Arithmetical Proficiency; and Systems. These prepare schools for adopting and refining a teaching for mastery approach. With the support of their peers and the Mastery Readiness Lead, Mastery Readiness participants will have the opportunity to explore some key documents such as the latest Ofsted maths subject report, the 2020 DfE primary mathematics guidance, and the Primary Mastery Professional Development Materials from the NCETM. This will give them confidence to consider how these materials can be used effectively in school.