SECONDARY MATHS MAT LEADERS COMMUNITY

This community brings together MAT leaders of maths from across the country, providing them with bespoke professional development and the opportunity to network with others in this challenging role. This project enables participants to deepen their understanding of effective pedagogical approaches, of their wider leadership roles, and of their capacity with their colleagues to transform secondary maths teaching and learning.

Many MATs now have a designated maths lead whose role is developing the teaching and learning of maths within their trust, but they can often lack subject-specific support mechanisms. This project offers carefully designed, subject-specific leadership development for those in these roles, beyond what might be offered by their MAT. Participants will work collaboratively with other MAT leaders, discuss developments, engage with expertise and research, and use this experience to inform their work across schools. This supports a key aim of the NCETM and Maths Hubs: namely, to develop successful secondary maths departments that are well led, and that provide ongoing subject professional development through collaborative working both within and between departments.

The rationale for this leadership community includes:

• establishing and maintaining a national network of peers that can facilitate the sharing of best practice, meaning that maths MAT leads can develop their understanding of approaches to leading curriculum change and professional development within and across a group of schools
• the embedding and sustaining of teaching for mastery, which requires the support of leaders, including maths MAT leads.

This national programme is continuing from 2022/23, with new participants completing a bespoke programme, and existing participants continuing their work together as a community. There will be opportunities throughout the year for both new and continuing participants to work together, so that all participants can benefit from both central provision and the opportunity for practice exchange with peers.

This project is designed for those who lead maths across multiple schools within a MAT, including at least one secondary school. This includes MAT maths leads who are continuing from previous years, and new participants. Participants are encouraged to have at least one school in a Secondary Teaching for Mastery Work Group in 2024/25, but this is not essential.



Participants need to be supported by their MATs to be released to attend three national face-to-face days across the academic year. They are also expected to take part in any inter-sessional learning that supports their work on the programme to develop themselves and others. Examples of such activity might include auditing an aspect of pedagogy or curriculum across the trust; reflection, action planning and vision-setting; working strategically with groups of leaders or teachers; working collaboratively with groups of teachers or students; or delivering professional development to groups of teachers or leaders. In addition, there is an active and supportive online community of MAT leads on this project; it is hoped that participants will contribute.

During the project, participants will have opportunities to engage with research, and with national leaders in educational fields, which have an impact upon their work in schools.