Highly-regarded professional development offering secondary non-specialist maths teachers valuable CPD focusing on subject knowledge and pedagogy

There are significant numbers of people teaching maths in secondary schools without specialist initial teacher training. This programme supports non-specialist teachers in developing the specialist knowledge (the blend of subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge) required for teaching maths.

It is designed to take place over the equivalent of six days.

Who can take part?

This programme is provided for non-specialist teachers of maths in state-funded schools who fit the following definition: A non-specialist teacher of mathematics is ‘a teacher that is currently teaching some mathematics or has commitment from a headteacher/ executive head to teach some mathematics within the next year, who has not undertaken initial teacher training (ITT) in mathematics’.

Programme Benefits

• Your students will think, reason and discuss their maths in order to deepen their understanding
• You will explore and increase your use of a range of pedagogic approaches aligned to the principles of teaching for mastery
• You will develop your subject and curriculum knowledge of secondary maths

The programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme, so is free to participating schools.

Trial Benefits

• Over half of the schools in England have participated in an EEF trial
• Participating schools, working with their local Maths Hub, will be contributing to the evidence base for interventions aiming to address the shortage of mathematics teachers within England

Overview

The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) is partnering with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) to evaluate the Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics (SKTM) Programme for Secondary Non-specialist Maths Teachers.

This is an exciting opportunity for your school to engage with a highly-regarded programme that supports non- specialist teachers develop their identity and practice as a mathematics teacher, while helping to address the challenge of recruiting maths teachers. In particular, the trial will assess the impact of the SKTM Programme on non-specialist teachers and the pupils of their Year 8 class.

Who is running the programme? Who is evaluating it?

Designed by the NCETM and funded by the DfE, SKTM will be delivered by accredited local leaders of mathematics education, through Maths Hubs. Sheffield Hallam University is running an independent evaluation of the SKTM Programme, with funding from the EEF. The evaluation will examine the impact of the programme on pupils and teachers, alongside its implementation in schools.

What does the programme involve?

The SKTM Programme comprises six days’ worth of training for non-specialist teachers, spread across an academic year. Teachers engage in 18 topic-based sessions and work collaboratively on maths tasks (within a workbook) to explore subject knowledge, pedagogy, and common misconceptions among pupils. Teachers are also tasked with school-based challenges that encourage them to apply their training in their classrooms.

How does the trial work? What are the timelines?

The purpose of the trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the SKTM Programme. It will examine the impact on the programme on Year 8 pupils’ mathematics attainment, self-efficacy and their experience of opportunities to think, reason and discuss within their lessons.

Eligibility

To participate, schools must meet the following criteria:

• Be a state-funded secondary school or college within England
• Have a non-specialist teacher, who has not undertaken Initial Teacher Training in mathematics and is teaching a Year 8 class (if the class is shared, the non-specialist teacher needs to teach at least 50% of the lessons)
• Be able to release the non-specialist teacher for all training sessions
• Not be taking part in EEF’s research trials on “Peer to Peer Coaching” or “Making Fluent and Flexible Calculations (HFL education)” in the same period of time

What are the benefits of participating?

Over half of the schools in England have participated in an EEF trial. Participating schools, working with their local Maths Hub, will be contributing to the evidence base for interventions aiming to address the shortage of mathematics teachers within England.

This SKTM Programme aims to improve participants’ subject and curriculum knowledge of secondary mathematics, with a particular emphasis on mathematical structures. Participants will increase their use of a range of pedagogic approaches consistent with teaching for mastery, leading to an improvement in pupils’ knowledge of, understanding of, and attitudes towards mathematics.

Are there any costs involved?

The programme is fully funded by the DfE through the Maths Hubs Programme. Schools will need to ensure that there is staff cover for the non-specialist teacher to attend all the training.

How to Apply

Contact us via email at [email protected]