Apply now for 2025/26
Applications should be submitted by 5pm on 14 March 2025
Following the success of the previous ten cohorts of the Primary Mastery Specialist Programme, the NCETM and Maths Hubs are now seeking to recruit an eleventh cohort of expert primary school teachers to develop and work as Primary Mastery Specialists.
The Primary Mastery Specialist Programme is for primary teachers with a passion for maths. In the first year of the programme, three residentials – one in each term – provide an opportunity to develop understanding the Five Big Ideas of teaching for mastery in depth and to focus on the specialist subject knowledge required to design lessons that unfold the maths for all children.
Between residentials, as a classroom teacher, specialists will be able to apply their learning to the context of their own classroom and school, reflecting with others what the impact of learning has been on pupils.
Who can take part?
Participants should be experienced primary practitioners with the capacity to lead change in their own schools, and to develop as leaders of professional development in other schools. They must be working in a school in England. Their headteachers commit to supporting them and to developing teaching for mastery in their schools.
What is involved?
In their specialist training year, 2025/26, participating teachers will:
- participate in three two-day residential professional development events led by the NCETM, these will be held in November 2025, March 2026 and June 2026 but are subject to confirmation
- broaden their own understanding of, and skills in, teaching maths for mastery in their own classroom
- work with colleagues, including the headteacher, to develop teaching for mastery approaches across their school, using a range of professional development activity, including regular workshops with an expectation that collaborative lesson observation will be an integral part of these lead a pilot collaborative lesson observation workshop with teachers from interested local schools
- collaborate with the Maths Hub’s leadership and the other Maths Hub Mastery Specialists.
This first year will require 15 days’ teacher release time and will be fully-funded through the Maths Hubs.
The second year onwards will require teacher release time and will be fully funded through the Maths Hubs. The exact number of days will be discussed with the Maths Hub and depend on
the nature of the work carried out by the specialist. Typically, this could be approximately 12-37 days in any one academic year.
In 2026/27 and beyond (subject to DfE funding), the Mastery Specialists will:
- lead Work Groups to develop, embed and sustain teaching for mastery in other schools in their Maths Hub
- continue to develop, embed and sustain teaching for mastery approaches across their own school
- continue to collaborate with the Maths Hub’s leadership and Mastery Specialists
- engage with additional Professional Development Lead sessions and obtain NCETM PD Lead Accreditation, if not already achieved.
Learn what's involved in the application process by downloading this information document.
Want to know more? Listen to a Mastery Specialist discuss her work in this podcast. Read more about Work Groups led by Mastery Specialists.
What will you learn?
Participating in the programme will provide the following benefits to the Mastery Specialists and their schools:
- Mastery Specialists will develop:
- understanding of the principles of mastery within the context of teaching maths
- deep subject and pedagogical knowledge of primary maths to support teaching for mastery
- skills of teaching, planning and assessment in order to effectively support pupils in developing a deep and sustainable understanding (i.e. mastery) of maths
- professional development leadership skills to support teachers, within their own school and in other schools, to adopt a teaching for mastery approach, including leading Work Groups and facilitating high quality lessons to be observed by participants.
- Mastery Specialists will have the opportunity to work closely with the NCETM central team and the national and local communities of Mastery Specialists
- Mastery Specialists who are not already accredited NCETM PD Leads will be able to gain this accreditation through successful completion of the programme
- The Mastery Specialist’s school will benefit from high-quality and sustained support in embedding teaching for mastery across the school.
What is the cost?
The Primary Mastery Specialist Programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participants and their schools.
Next Steps
Apply directly via the link below, or get in touch with us if you have any queries. Applications should be submitted by 5pm on 14 March 2025.