Leadership Opportunities
Primary Mastery Specialist
Applications are open for 2026/27
Please read this page and the Information Sheet carefully before applying. The application link is towards the bottom of the page.
What is involved?
The 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 in 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. Their headteachers commit to supporting them and to developing teaching for mastery in their schools.
What will you learn?
- Your pupils will show a positive attitude towards maths and enjoy learning the subject
- You will demonstrate deeper subject knowledge and greater understanding of the principles behind teaching for mastery
- Your colleagues will begin to develop teaching for mastery approaches
- Your school will develop policies and systems which support a teaching for mastery approach
What is the cost?
The Primary Mastery Specialist Programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme, so is free to participating schools/colleges.
Want to know more?
Listen to a Mastery Specialist discuss her work in this podcast. Read more about Work Groups led by Mastery Specialists.
Secondary Mastery Specialist
Applications are open for 2026/27
Please read this page and the Information Sheet carefully before applying. The application link is towards the bottom of the page.
Want to become a specialist in teaching for mastery and support your own school to develop teaching for mastery approaches? Join the Secondary Mastery Specialist Programme. During the course of the programme you will receive fully-funded professional development from experts, have time to develop your own expertise, and then to support others.
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.
Learn what's involved in the application process by downloading this Information Sheet.
Hear from a teacher who has been part of the programme as he explains how teaching for mastery has revolutionised the way he teaches, and has had a positive impact on his students.
What is involved?
This two-year programme supports secondary maths teachers to become experts in teaching for mastery and lead change within their schools.
Teachers will strengthen their classroom practice and learn how to support colleagues. They will explore the NCETM’s The Essence of Mathematics Teaching for Mastery, working closely with their subject leader to embed these approaches across the department. Participants will also complete the NCETM Professional Development Lead Programme, gaining the skills to lead effective CPD.
Who can take part?
Secondary maths teachers in state-funded schools in England with QTS and at least two years’ teaching experience. Applicants should be committed to develop their own teaching and support improvement across their department.
Our diagram shows a school's journey towards mastery. Use it to determine where your school's journey starts (click/tap diagram to show a larger version with more detail of the journey).
What will you learn?
- You will deepen classroom practice and help students build deep, connected mathematical understanding
- You will complete the NCETM PD Lead Programme and learn how to support colleagues through CPD
- You will take part in around 7.5 days of professional development, including workshops, school-based activity and collaborative planning
- You will observe teaching for mastery in other secondary and primary schools
What is the cost?
The Secondary Mastery Specialist Programme is fully-funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schools.
How can you find out more?
Learn what's involved in the application process by downloading this Information Sheet.
Hear from Mastery Specialists in our videos below. Find out more about mastery in our case studies. And take a look at the Mastery Specialist Programme in more detail in this diagram.
Further Education Mastery Specialist
Express interest for 2026/2027 here
Following the success of the Primary and Secondary Mastery Specialist Programmes, Maths Hubs, working in conjunction with the NCETM, are now seeking applications from Further Education establishments that wish to nominate ‘lead teachers’ to take part in an important two-year professional development programme leading to the designation of Post-16 GCSE/FSQ Mastery Specialist. The programme is aimed at those who teach GCSE Mathematics resit and/or Functional Skills Qualifications (FSQs).
More information about Further Education Mastery Specialists can be found in the news item Mastery Specialists in GCSE Resit and Functional Skills.
Who can take part?
The programme is for practitioners of post-16 GCSE Maths resit and/or Functional Skills Maths who are currently employed in a post-16 setting and regularly teaching maths to students aged 16-19 enrolled onto full-time Study Programmes under the government’s Condition of Funding policy.
Participants must have at least two years’ experience teaching post-16 GCSE/FSQ maths, with the capacity to lead change within their own institutions. They may be based in FE colleges, Sixth Form colleges, or other post-16 settings.
What is involved?
Practitioners of post-16 GCSE Mathematics resit and/or Functional Skills Maths can become Mastery Specialists, initially developing their own teaching for mastery approaches, then supporting others to do the same.
The programme has an initial training year, followed by a second year and beyond, in which specialists support others. It equips participants with the knowledge and skills to develop highly-effective approaches to the teaching of GCSE Maths resit and Functional Skills Maths, using the principles of teaching for mastery.
What will you learn?
- Your students will develop a secure and connected understanding of the maths they are learning
- Your students will report increased confidence in using maths
- You will develop classroom practices aligned to the principles of teaching for mastery, as exemplified for the post-16 GCSE/FSQ sector
- You will, over time, become part of the Maths Hubs LLME Community
What is the cost?
The Post-16 GCSE/FSQ Mastery Specialist Programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participating schools/institutions.
PD Lead Accreditation
One of the main criteria for successful PD is that it stimulates new thinking – this certainly did that for me. Very thought provoking and inspiring."
NCETM Professional Development Lead accreditation is designed for those who lead professional development for teachers of maths.
Applications are open for 2026/27
Please read this page and the Information Sheet carefully before applying. The application link is towards the bottom of the page.
Who can take part?
These phase-specific programmes are for expert teachers of maths (all phases from Early Years to post-16) who have existing commitments and responsibility for designing, leading and evaluating maths teacher professional development, and who will lead maths professional development beyond their own institution.
Learn what's involved in the application process by downloading this Information Sheet.
What is involved?
The PD Lead Programme is designed for participants who are working with other teachers to enhance teaching and learning of maths.
Participants benefit from the equivalent of three one-day workshops (face-to-face and online). Participants will design, lead, review and refine a programme of support for maths teacher professional development, drawing upon a range of evidence-informed models and activity. The completion of an Accreditation Evidence Document, which facilitates critical reflection on participants’ learning over the duration of the programme is required.
What will you learn?
- You will develop a refined rationale for the Professional Development you are leading and for the range of professional activity within the programme
- You will critically evaluate your own professional development programme against your intended outcomes
- You will identify key principles of maths CPD design and the implications of these for the programme you design
- You will recognise the key distinction between teachers’ knowledge of maths, and teachers’ knowledge of teaching maths
Participants will also have the opportunity to gain an academic award (PG Cert) for completing an enhanced version of the programme, which will be available for an additional fee.
What is the cost?
The Professional Development Lead Programmes are fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so are free to participants and their schools.
SD Lead Accreditation
Support for maths leaders whose role is to lead change in a school or group of schools other than their own
Applications are open for 2026/27
Please read this page and the Information Sheet carefully before applying. The application link is towards the bottom of the page.
Who can take part?
The programme is for colleagues working with school and subject leaders in a school or group of schools other than their own. It will benefit those with significant experience of developing maths leadership capacity, or those newer to the role. Usually, participants will have completed the NCETM PD Lead Programme and have some experience of working directly with senior leaders outside of their own setting.
Participants must commit to the full programme and will need the support of the headteacher of their own school and/or MAT.
Learn what's involved in the application process by downloading this Information Sheet.
What is involved?
This programme is designed to enable leaders of maths school development to enhance leadership capacity and capability in the schools they support. It will provide regional support through workshops (face-to-face, run regionally across England, and online), practice development activities, and an online community.
Participants design and lead a school development initiative, aimed at supporting the development of school and subject leaders, as they explore, prepare and deliver changes to their setting’s maths provision.
What will you learn?
- You will develop your knowledge of a range of maths school development strategies and how to use them effectively
- You will strengthen your knowledge of the evidence base that underpins school development
- You will work alongside senior and subject leaders to support sustainable implementation and build capacity
- You will improve the skills and self-awareness required in the role of school development lead
What is the cost?
The School Development Lead Programme is fully funded by the Maths Hubs Programme so is free to participants and their schools.
