Want to become a specialist in teaching for mastery and support your own and other schools to develop teaching for mastery approaches? Join the Secondary Mastery Specialist Programme. During the programme you will receive fully funded professional development from experts, have time to develop your own expertise, and then to support others.

Who can take part?

Any teacher (excluding ECTs) who is teaching maths in a state-funded secondary school in England and who wishes to develop both their own classroom practice and their skills in leading professional development with others can apply to become a Secondary Mastery Specialist.

What is involved?

The Secondary Mastery Specialist Programme enables secondary maths teachers to become experts in teaching for mastery, so they in turn can develop maths departments that are well-led, high-performing, and provide high-quality professional development through collaborative working.

Over a minimum of three years, participants first work on their own understanding and practice, then with their own department, then with other departments as a Local Leader of Maths Education for their Maths Hub.

• Year One: you participate in several professional development events and focus on developing your classroom teaching.
• Year Two: your focus is on developing teaching for mastery approaches within your department and honing your skills in leading professional development.
• Year Three and beyond: you support key teachers in other local schools to develop a teaching for mastery approach within their departments.

Throughout this programme, you will keep in touch with other specialists across the country in online community groups to share experiences and continue developmental conversations.

To support you in developing your role as a leader of professional development you will be enrolled in the NCETM’s PD Lead Programme during the second year of the Secondary Mastery Specialist Programme.

What will you learn?

In the 2017 summer term, NCETM asked some Mastery Specialists for examples of what was changing at their schools as a result of their participation in the programme. They told them about work both in their classrooms and with colleagues in maths departments. You can explore the full collection of videos here on the NCETM website.

What is the cost?

The Secondary Mastery Specialist Programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schools.

How do I sign up?

Apply directly via the ‘register’ link above.

Applications close 5pm on 30 May 2025.