Work at the NCETM recently has been dominated by supporting Maths Hubs in getting this year’s network projects up and running. A key part of this work consists of sessions run centrally by the NCETM for teachers who lead local Work Groups within these projects. The generic term increasingly used for people in these roles is ‘local leaders of maths education’ (LLME). All Maths Hub CPD is currently taking place remotely, at least until February half term, and is adapted to support teachers working in the current challenging circumstances.

The Primary Teaching for Mastery Programme becomes more established every year, with a clear pathway for development now defined. This programme has reached 50% of primary schools in England so far. The Secondary Teaching for Mastery Programme, now in its 5th year, complements and continues the transformative work, now making significant impact in secondary schools.

The NCETM website continues to provide resources for individual and school-based collaborative CPD, curriculum planning and lesson delivery, as well as supporting any work teachers do locally with their Maths Hub. The following have been recently published:

• A dedicated page has been created which brings together all NCETM post-16 resources and links to partner organisations.
• Planning to teach videos, with accompanying slides and notes, organised by KS3 topic. These cover the main ideas a new teacher might consider before beginning to teach each topic, as well as containing plenty of ideas experienced teachers might like to pick up. This short feature gives an overview.
• Prompts for Deeper Thinking is a series of short video clips showing Year 8 students discussing a mathematical prompt. Each has slides to guide a CPD session. This short feature gives an overview.
• A set of Primary ITE materials has recently been published, and sits alongside the equivalent Secondary ITE materials. Both give an overview of teaching for mastery, in six sessions.
• The NCETM podcast continues to be popular – currently publishing a mini-series on how teachers are adapting to teaching under Covid-19 restrictions. There’s also a recent feature length interview discussing Core Maths five years on with a teacher and a researcher.
• The NCETM Director’s blog, Charlie’s Angles, had some encouraging news that got a bit missed during the summer and some considered advice for teachers at the start of this term. Charlie Stripp is also the Chief Executive of MEI.

Finally, in October there was cause for celebration when the NCETM’s Director for Primary, Debbie Morgan, was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.