We are recruiting for the 2024 – 25 academic year for schools to engage in Mastering Number at KS2 Work Groups.
Knowledge of multiplication and division and its applications forms the single most important aspect of the KS2 curriculum and is the gateway to success at secondary school. It is also a key area that pupils often struggle with. Automaticity with multiplication tables relieves cognitive load and develops pupils’ confidence to achieve success.
The project offers schools that are involved in Mastering Number at Reception and KS1, and are also in a Sustaining Work Group, the opportunity for teachers to develop the knowledge and skills to secure good multiplicative number sense and automaticity in times tables. The programme will focus on Years 4 and 5. Junior schools who are in a Sustaining Work Group may also apply.
Mastering Number at KS2 Work Groups
What does it involve?
- Identification of a lead teacher in both Year 4 and Year 5. They will be provided with teaching materials to be used in Year 4 and Year 5, and are expected to use these resources for five short sessions each week, aimed at developing children’s fluency and flexibility with number. They will also be expected to support colleagues in their own year group to use the resources with their classes.
- Lead Teachers will engage in online workshops, once a term, as well as a local session once a term with their Work Group Lead. They will use prepared materials in the form of teacher guidance and daily class resources, which will be provided. They will also support all other teachers in their school in Years 4 and 5 to use the materials effectively, and work collaboratively to develop their understanding of children’s progression in developing automaticity in multiplication and division facts and the ability to apply these facts to a range of contexts.
- Lead Teachers will also be expected to engage with teachers from other schools through a local online community to reflect on their practice and the progress of their pupils.
Schools that participate in the programme commit to the following expectations:
- The school will introduce Mastering Number in all Year 4 and Year 5 classes, in addition to their daily maths lesson.
- Each teacher (Year 4 and Year 5) will work with their whole class five days per week, using the Mastering Number Programme, to develop children’s deep understanding and confidence of multiplicative relationships and automaticity of facts.
- Teachers will be expected to contribute regularly to local online Work Group activity, led by the Work Group Lead, reflecting on the implementation and impact of the programme, from autumn term 2023 to summer term 2024.
- Participants in the project will engage in all online professional development, including three national live online sessions (in Sept/Oct 2023, January 2024, and April 2024) and three local Work Group sessions (in the autumn 2023, spring 2024 and summer 2024 terms).
- The school will provide any feedback required by the Maths Hub and participate in any evaluation processes required.
- The school’s leadership team will ensure attendance and full engagement at programme events and will support Lead Teachers in their development of the wider staff.
Please only apply for this programme if your school/ setting is eligible for Mastering Number Key Stage 2 and fits the following criteria:
1. Your school is currently in either the Embedding or Sustaining phase of Teaching for Mastery and will be committing to the Sustaining Phase of Teaching for Mastery in 2024-25.
2. Your school has embedded Mastering Number in Reception and Key Stage One by engaging at both hub and national level in the appropriate ways; therefore implementing Mastering Number with fidelity.
3. Your school will continue to embed and sustain Mastering Number in Reception and Key Stage One and engage with the Maths Hub for any relevant training to ensure your school continues to effectively embed and deliver Mastering Number with fidelity.
4. Mastering Number forms the main focus for the Number element of the curriculum in Reception.
NB: Junior schools can apply and are exempt from points 2 – 4.