A few years ago our local authority subject specialist support ceased – my limited view of the regular Head of Maths meeting was based on attending one of them where one HOD sat marking papers for the entire time and as a mere “second in department” I felt that a couple of the people there looked down on me, for daring to voice opinions and I got the feeling that some of them were thinking that I’d learn not to be so enthusiastic given time. Overall, I felt that the £150 (ish) quid that the day cost our school was a very expensive lunch! Don’t get me wrong the vast majority of HODs were brilliant … all asking where Seager was of course (thanks!! … that makes a gal feel really welcome but I’m used to being the side show by now!) and I even came away with an idea or two.

Around the same time the school at which we worked started running intervention training for other schools and somewhere along the line Seager got talking to Maria Hoather (National Manager – Mathematics) at Pearson about becoming one of two trial “maths hubs”. It just made sense to us that we could use this to our advantage locally as there was a real danger of any local collaboration dying on its knees. Coincidentally lots of local schools (including ours) were going down the academisation route and the writing was on the wall that unless someone grabbed this opportunity by the balls we would end up with each school working in isolation and massive amounts of time and effort spent re-inventing the wheel.

So along with Pietro Tozzi who works at Gumley House in London, we launched our regional meetings. They happen 3 or 4 times a year and are free events arranged by Pearson, with different people coming in to talk about changes and updates in the maths world. Unsurprisingly much of the information has been around all of the current GCSE, A level and core maths changes and I think it has been invaluable. We’ve always made it clear (as have Pearson) that whilst they facilitate the events they are not exclusively for centres that use their exams and they are meant to be opportunities for us to discuss local issues as well as the “big picture”.

The idea of the running a trial was to ensure that any issues of whatever nature was ironed out before launching nationwide. They wanted to make sure that things like the catering, invites, booking places (basically everything!) ran smoothly … Pearson wanted to develop a modus operandii that worked, that they could replicate nationally in preparation for supporting teachers. Personally I liked this approach as it showed they were looking to the future strategically and wanted to get it right first time. I’m not saying they’re perfect but we’re getting there!

Shortly after starting the meetings we heard on the grapevine that Gove wanted to introduce “Maths Hubs” and so the Mathematics Collaborative Networks was born as we thought we’d let him have the name (hehehe!). Subsequently when Seager and I moved school last September Pearson asked if the meetings could move with us too and we are delighted to say that they are as regularly attended as ever. In fact we may need to find a bigger venue at school but are weighing up whether we want to let it get any bigger as we think you lose the opportunity for discussions to take place and the personal touch. Most people will say that one of the best things about events like this is the networking and having the time to share ideas with other like-minded people – in fact after the last event one HOD stayed behind and spent some time discussing ideas with us further (I did have an impromptu TA for part of a lesson whilst he waited for Seager … hmmm ….maybe I should have planned that lesson better!!)

Following the trial, Pearson have expanded the national network and continue to do so, and I am just a little bit proud to hear recently that there are even more new hub centres and the below will be holding their first network meetings in June or July:

• Franklin College, Grimsby (**Hi Emma  … waves**)

• Heartlands Academy, Birmingham

• Nobel School, Stevenage

• Nottingham Girls School, Nottingham

• Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith, Cumbria

• Thorpe St Andrew School, Norwich (**waves at Kerry**)

• Uffculme School, Devon

For those that attend our meeting or are South Warwickshire or Worcestershire based our next meeting is on Friday 3rd July at 12:00 – 15:00 (note the change from the usual morning meeting but on the Saturday, Pearson is holding its annual Maths conference and so we’ve managed to persuade the legend that is Graham Cumming to come up to the Midlands early to make an appearance … fingers crossed! But now I’ve written this he’ll probably “bottle it!”). The agenda is as follows

  • Update re OFQUAL research and impact on papers- Pearson
  • Discussion of impact of changes- All
  • Sharing Good Practice- Alcester Academy (that’s me and his “nibs” Seager!)
  • Discussion on plans for autumn term for new GCSE- All
  • Setting date & agenda for autumn term network

You should have received an invite from “mathsevents” but if you haven’t, or if you want to get involved in a network closer to you, please email mathsevents@pearson.com, stating which region you are in, and they’ll sort it out for you.