Keynote Mathematics address at national event

As a result of the innovative and exciting work taking place at Edge Hill University, Dr Mary McAteer, Project Director of the University's Mathematics Specialist Teacher (MaST) programme, was recently invited to address delegates at the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) annual conference.

"The NCETM acknowledges Edge Hill's work on the MaST programme as excellent and it was a huge privilege to be asked to give a keynote address," reveals Mary. "I felt as though I was speaking on behalf of all the MaST team, the participants and even the children who have now benefitted from the enormous changes made in mathematics teaching."  

Introduced in 2010, the MaST programme followed Sir Peter Williams' 2008 independent review of mathematics teaching in primary schools and early years settings. His review stated that, ‘there should be at least one mathematics specialist in each primary school in post within ten years, with deep mathematical subject and pedagogical knowledge'.

As a result, the two-year MaST programme was designed to help teachers become ‘champions of mathematics', with these champions working to change attitudes towards the subject, disseminate information and to lead on improved subject knowledge and pedagogy, making mathematics more accessible and relevant to children.  

"The key to the success of our programme is the strong relationships between Edge Hill, local authorities and schools," says Mary. "The University's Faculty of Education has a unique strength in effective partnership working and draws on this in both the planning and delivery of the MaST programme. We also combine cutting-edge mathematics education theory and practice with a team of internationally acclaimed experts, such as Professor Ian Thompson, Dr Derek Haylock, Professor Margaret Brown and Professor Effie MacLellan who deliver keynote addresses at our teaching conferences."  

At the NCETM conference Mary chose to talk about the way Edge Hill University has operationalised the programme and its future sustainability. "It was the obvious choice to tell delegates about how the Edge Hill programme meets the strategic objectives of the Williams Review Recommendation 3, which is key in the design and development of the whole MaST programme."  

Mary continues, "I also presented examples of the work we are doing and teachers' responses, along with evidencing the impact it has had on practice in schools and classrooms. Our research findings, including an in-house impact-based research project, indicate a noticeable improvement in children's achievements and outcomes, which has led to teachers and head teachers describing the programme as a ‘whole-school improvement' programme."  

From the positive impact the MaST programme has had nationally, the government has now committed to continue partially funding schools and teachers into 2013, with Edge Hill University now recruiting for courses starting in September 2011 and 2012.  

Concluding Mary adds, "This prestigious national event was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the work going on at Edge Hill and to get the message out there that our programme is making a significant contribution to improving future primary mathematics education in the UK."  

For further information about the MaST Mathematics Specialist Teacher Programme please contact Kerry Gouldson on 01695 650774 or email mast@edgehill.ac.uk