Our Primary curriculum and resources

Mastery is not a new approach. In fact, the concept was first introduced in 1968 by American psychologist Benjamin Bloom with his idea that if learners don’t get something the first time, then teach them again and in different ways until they do. Teaching for mastery in maths is fundamental to the UK government’s education reforms and was reflected in the 2014 English national curriculum for mathematics. The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching Mathematics (NCETM) and the Department for England (DfE) have all endorsed this evidence-based approach which is inspired by some of the leading performers in mathematics education, including Shanghai and Singapore.

There has been a long-running pedagogical debate over the benefits of a skills-based educational approach, as opposed to a knowledge-based education. And with the exponential development in new technology making huge changes to our society, it’s difficult to predict the future of employment. So, there is an increasing demand for a skills-based education, where students will be equipped with the skills they need to navigate a changing world.