Workshop Dates

Workshop 1 - Tuesday 5th December 2023 - 0915-1515 Shrewsbury

Workshop 2 - Tuesday 12th March 2024 - 0915-1515 Shrewsbury

Workshop 3 - Tuesday 25th June 2024 - 0915-1515 Shrewsbury

When booking, please note the dates and times in your diary, and submit your cover request in school.

Evidence of a dip in progression as pupils move from KS2 to KS3 is widely reported and accepted. Teacher knowledge of curriculum and pedagogy and a focus on academic transition, as well as pastoral, have been identified in the research by Ofsted and EEF as key factors in improving outcomes for pupils.

The Work Groups promote teaching for mastery approaches across the KS2-3 boundary to ensure consistency in the pupil experience, thereby meeting the Primary schools and Secondary schools strategic goals of establishing teaching for mastery approaches and encouraging schools in engaging with teaching for mastery support. The Work Groups also meet the Primary strategic goal of ensuring that pupils ‘are well prepared for the secondary maths curriculum’.

Participants' feedback from last year was completely positive, including:

• 'Collaborating and discussing mathematics with colleagues from different phases, including in breakout rooms, has been great.'
• 'It has really made me think about my practice and how I can use vocabulary and the resources available with the NCETM.'
• 'I have become more aware of the importance of langauge and asking the right questions to extend pupils.'
• 'It has made me thing more deeply about the smaller steps of Teaching for Mastery.'
• 'The support offered by the Work Group leaders and other teachers has been superb.'

Who will be leading the group?

Joe Cooper

Joe is an Assistant Maths Hub Lead (Secondary) for SHaW Maths Hub and an accredited NCETM PD lead with a postgraduate qualification in embedding teaching for mastery practices. Joe has previously led Work Groups as a Teaching for Mastery Specialist in the Developing and Embedding phases and works to help coordinate the secondary aspects of the Local Leaders of Mathematics Education programme at SHaW Maths Hub.

Jo Makin-Isherwood

Jo has been Primary Teaching for Mastery Lead for CODE Maths Hub, progressing as an accredited NCETM PD Lead and Primary Specialist. Jo worked with Early Years, KS1 and KS2 classes, including mixed age classes, before becoming Maths Subject lead and Senior Leader, including extensive SEND experience. Jo has co-led Years 5-8 Continuity Work Groups over the past two years, as well as leading Oracy and Specialists Knowledge Work Groups.

Who is it for?

Linked families of schools: primary, secondary, middle schools, and all-through schools should participate in this Work Group. For example, this could be secondary schools and their associated (feeder) primary schools or family groups of schools from within a MAT. Having a mix of schools with KS2 and KS3 pupils is essential to the success of the Work Group.

Lead participants should be teachers of Years 5-8.

What are the intended outcomes?

Pupil outcomes

• Pupils in KS2 and KS3 demonstrate a positive attitude to maths
• KS3 pupils show improved understanding of the chosen topics, based on strong connection with KS2 foundations.

Whole school/departmental policies and approaches

Participants work with teachers in their schools to ensure that:

• Collaboration between primary and secondary colleagues on issues of curriculum and pedagogy is a normal part of the schools’ transition practice (and policy)
• Curriculum planning at KS3 is adjusted to ensure that is builds on the learning that pupils bring with them from KS2
• Curriculum planning at KS2 identifies the priority learning which underpins progression, preparing them for the KS3 curriculum.

Practice development

• Participants make common use of approaches, representations and language across phases 
• Lesson design and pedagogy demonstrate a secure knowledge of curriculum continuity

Professional learning

• Work Group Leads, participants, and the teachers in their schools, have a deeper knowledge and understanding of (one or more specific areas of) the curriculum across KS2 and KS3, including the expectations of pupils at the end of each Key Stage
• Work Group Leads, participants, and the teachers in their schools, have a deeper understanding of the approaches (in one or more specific areas) which will support pupils as they move from KS2 to KS3, including the importance of consistency of language and representations.

What will it involve?

Oracy will feature in all aspects of the Work Group. Lessons designed and refined by University Maths Education researchers will focus on the following themes:

Workshop 1: Fractions

Workshop 2: Algebraic Thinking

Workshop 3: Multiplicative Reasoning

What is the cost?

Funded by DfE so participation is free for schools