Maths Hubs
2015 MEI Conference
John Westwell
Director for Strategy (NCETM)
Lisa Pollard
Maths Hub Lead
(Boolean Maths Hub)
National picture
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34 Maths Hubs now established
Hub activity began during autumn term 2014
National Collaborative projects
Locally designed projects
Maths Hubs – key functions
Identify needs and agree
strategic priorities
Ensure provision of high
impact specialist
mathematics support
Critically evaluate quality
and impact
Hub activity – ‘Work Groups’
Teachers doing good work together that makes a difference
to pupils:
● Clear rationale for group
● Well defined intended outcomes
● Local leadership supported by partners
● Different forms of work over time
● Value for money
● Systematic evidence collection
Supported by the NCETM Work Group Quality Framework.
Types of Work Groups
There are three types of work groups, all of which seek to
address the priority outcomes:
1. National Collaborative Projects:
● Mastery pedagogy for primary mathematics 1 (ChinaEngland research and innovation)
● Mastery pedagogy for primary mathematics 2 (Use of
high quality textbooks, linked to Singapore)
● Post 16 participation (with FMSP and CMSP)
2. Hub funded locally designed work groups
3. Locally agreed work groups working with partners but
not using Maths Hub project funding.
A school-led partnership
Lead School/College
● Providing the mathematical and partnership
leadership
Strategic Partners
● Working with the lead school to plan and
evaluate the hub’s work
Operational Partners
● Local leaders and specialist expertise helping
the lead school carry out the hub’s work
Schools/Colleges
● Engaging with the partnership to bring about
improvement in maths education.
Maths Lead/s
Hub Administrator
Senior Leader with
a strategic role
School
Other Institution
Lead School
Strategic partners
Operational partners
By connecting to a
Maths Hub, you are
connecting to a
strong
schoolbased leadership
network
working
together to improve
maths education
Key people
Maths Hub lead:
• Expert practitioner
• Experience as a successful subject leader
• Skilled in supporting collaboration
Hub administrator:
• Manages the hub communications, events and
Work Group administration
Senior leadership link:
• Skilled in building, facilitating and evaluating
networks and partnerships
• Experienced in being accountable for funding
used both within and beyond the school/college
Why the Boolean Maths Hub?
Mary Everest Boole (1832-1916)
Born in Wickwar, South Gloucestershire.
Self-taught mathematician.
Married George Boole and co-created the structure
of Boolean algebra.
Outstanding Mathematics teacher and author.
Teaching for ‘mastery’ in
mathematics
Maths Hubs researching and
innovating together
A way to improve maths
education at all levels
• Promoting mastery:
 Not a gimmick, an evidence-based change of
approach
 Cultural change: success in maths (and just
about anything else) comes primarily from
effort, not from ‘being born clever’
 Intelligent practice to develop deep
understanding is the key to success
 We can learn from Shanghai and Singapore
and other places.
Mastery
• A belief that pupils can and will achieve
• Development of deep structural
knowledge
• Carefully chosen examples supporting
the opportunity to make connections
• Keeping the class working together
• Quick intervention
• Longer time on key topics
The answer is only the
beginning………..
The teacher presents a maths problem
And then asks:
1. What is the answer?
2. Describe the method/procedure you
used
3. Why does the method work, what
relationships are involved, what
generalities or rules can we glean?
Practice makes perfect!
Is doing a large number of exercises
compatible with deep learning?
It depends on the nature of the practice
Intelligent practice provides opportunity for
the development of procedural fluency
and conceptual understanding in tandem
- Variation theory
Procedural Variation –
where successive problems
link to the previous
problem
Variation supports intelligent
practice
Notice the
progression from
the first example
to the final one?
Engaging with your Maths Hub
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Do you know which is your Maths Hub?
Have you had contact with your Maths Hub?
Have you been involved in any of the work?
What would you want to be working on?
How would you like to see the Maths Hubs
working?
Contact:
mathshubs@ncetm.org.uk
lisa.pollard@clf.cabot.ac.uk
www.mathshubs.org.uk