Leading maths at any school is a unique challenge. Being a 'core' subject comes with pressures not experienced in many other subject areas. In addition, the relatively abstract nature of the subject content, combined with the contrasting societal and parental attitudes to mathematics, can complicate communication and stifle progress. Most pupils and parents will recognise the importance of the subject but many feel it's fine to -not be good at maths. Leading a subject area in schools is often about managing what seem at face value to be contradictions, and nowhere is this truer than in leading maths.
Offering practical advice and guidance, Leading Mathsexplores how maths leaders can make the most of their role and shows them how to manage the daily pressures and demands that come with it. Backed up by specific examples from fifteen years of experience leading maths, Peter Mattock goes on to examine the more long-term, strategic view of maths leadership, including how leaders can work with their teams to develop high quality mathematics teaching and learning for all pupils.
The book also covers day-to-day issues that arise when leading maths, in particular results and accountability, as well as difficult situations more generally. Finally, it explores how to manage an inspection, developing improvement plans and the appraisal process, before touching on taking maths leadership beyond one specific school and into system leadership.
In addition to Peter's insight, Leading Mathsalso contains contributions from other experienced maths practitioners, including Becky Lawrence, Jemma Sherwood, Rhiannon Rainbow and Dave Tushingham. Becky examines some of the specific approaches to leading primary maths, whilst Jemma does the same from her perspective as a maths lead across a large multi-academy trust. Rhiannon and Dave then go on to discuss how to manage significant change from their experience of adapting curriculum and CPD during the COVID pandemic - including the beginnings of their (now famous) book club.
An essential guide for current, new, or aspiring maths leaders.
Peter Mattock has been teaching maths for over 15 years. He is a specialist leader of education (SLE) and an accredited secondary maths professional development lead, who regularly presents at conferences across the country. Peter also develops teaching for mastery in the secondary school classroom, having been part of the first cohort of specialists trained in mastery approaches by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM).
