Maths at DSAT

“We love maths!” is the cry of teachers at the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust. Over recent years,  they have seen maths engagement soar, with teachers enjoying teaching mathematics, and their Teaching Assistant team adding both support and challenge to maths learning and children’s achievement significantly improve, as they strive to go ‘beyond expectations for all of God’s children’.

Their dedicated Trust Maths Leadership Team utilise their expertise and lead the MAT CPL (Collaborative Professional Learning) offer in mathematics. Members of this team wear many hats, and include maths subject leaders, a deputy headteacher, headteacher, Trust leader and maths hub programme lead – they all share one commonality: a love of maths coupled with an NCTEM qualification.

As a Trust, they have invested much time and effort into ‘Collaborative Professional Learning’ in mathematics.

Maths for all - back in September 2019 they came together (no mean feat!) as a whole Trust for a maths day with Debbie Morgan (NCETM Director for Primary Maths) and Dr Ruth Trundley (Lead for primary mathematics, Babcock), where they earthed themselves in mastery in mathematics. It was such an extra-ordinary and vibrant day of learning and connection, where the keynote speakers inspired leaders, teachers and teaching assistants alike, and then the bespoke maths workshops developed our understanding, expertise, and efficacy.

Maths Subject Leadership - DSAT are proud of their half-termly CPL programme for maths subject leaders, where they grow and develop in-house expertise, build on the Trust links with local Maths Hubs and collaborate on not just on maths, but also leading maths. “We look forward to, in the near future, resuming our ‘Teaching and Learning Communities’ in maths, where subject leaders cluster together to share learning and classroom action research centred on an element of mathematics – including representations & structure, journaling and vocabulary.”

Maths for teachers and teaching assistants – not only are there ongoing in-school Maths CPL opportunities led by subject leaders, but they also run Trust-wide CPL for teaching assistants and take advantage of free Maths Hub training and work groups. Many schools across the Trust are actively engaged with NCETM through their Maths Hub programme.

Maths for children – “We actively seek our children’s voice when it comes to maths learning. Our children have co-constructed maths charters, have provided feedback on their view of pre-teaching and how it helps their learning, as well being active and influential learners in the classroom, or (more currently) at home through remote learning. We are super proud of our children’s ability to switch to remote learning, and the support they have received from parents and carers has been overwhelming. Thank you.”

Just as their Christian mission is central to their schools, so is ensuring that all members of their learning community grow, develop deep understanding and are curious about maths, so that they are confident mathematicians.

Please visit the school websites or the DSAT website (www.dsat.org.uk) to find out more.