Leading primary mathematics national professional qualification
A course to help teachers learn how to use mastery approaches and teach maths effectively.
Applies to England
Who this course is for
This course is for:
- teachers and leaders with responsibility for leading maths across a primary key-stage or school, or those who want to have this responsibility
- teachers familiar with mastery approaches to teaching primary maths, who want to improve leadership skills in this area
- school subject leaders already engaged in the primary Teaching for Mastery programme or similar programme
Overview
This one-year course will help you to:
- embed mastery approaches to teaching maths in your school
- lead your school to teach maths effectively, working collaboratively with senior leaders and teachers
This course will:
- take 12 months to complete
- involve an average of 1 to 2 hours of study each week
- be a mix of self-study and group sessions
- have a written assessment
Funding
Teachers and school leaders in many state funded settings in England will be eligible for funding to cover their NPQ course fees, subject to eligibility criteria.
Eligibility for funding does not guarantee a place on a funded NPQ course.
Eligibility
Before applying for this NPQ (National Professional Qualification), you should have a secure understanding of mastery approaches to teaching maths from the Teaching for Mastery programme, or an equivalent programme.
Course content
Develop a school culture with a positive attitude to maths
You’ll learn how pupils learn maths, so you can develop systems which help children:
- overcome maths anxiety
- build resilience
- develop problem-solving strategies
You’ll learn how to create a culture of high expectations where teachers:
- challenge and motivate pupils
- give pupils high quality feedback
Design and introduce maths curriculums
You’ll learn how to design maths curriculums and develop the leadership skills to help you introduce them, including how to:
- identify the maths knowledge that pupils need
- help pupils make connections between maths facts and concepts
- identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and make changes accordingly
- plan curriculum changes so that teachers are supported
Support maths teachers in your school
You’ll learn techniques to help you support the teaching of maths, including techniques to help teachers:
- plan and sequence lessons so that pupils can build their knowledge
- support inclusion of pupils, for example by ensuring that the starting point is accessible to all
- manage their workload, for example by sharing approaches to marking work
- understand and use consistent maths vocabulary
Course structure
The course includes 10 topics, outlined in the course framework. Providers use this framework to design their course.
The course includes:
- independent study
- group coaching
- face-to-face sessions with other participants
You’ll need to spend 1 to 2 hours a week working on this NPQ.
If you can, you should do this during work hours in career development time.
Providers
You can train for this NPQ with one of the following providers:
- Ambition Institute
- Church of England
- LLSE
- National Institute of Teaching
- Teach First
- University College London (UCL) Institute of Education
They work with delivery partners, such as teaching school hubs, to provide training.
Assessment
To get your NPQ accreditation you’ll need to complete the course and pass a written assessment (1,500 words).
Apply
Learn how to apply for an NPQ.
Updates to this page
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Updated information about funding.
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Removed 'Education Development Trust' from the list of providers.
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Updated with details of the course due to start in autumn 2024.
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Updated information in the 'Apply' section as the application window is now open. Applicants can register and learn how to apply for an NPQ.
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First published.