CompletedInterventional

Evaluation of the specialist knowledge for teaching mathematics programme

This study is testing a training programme called 'Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics' (SKTM). It's designed to help secondary school teachers who haven't specifically trained in maths but still teach it. The main goal is to find out if this training helps these teachers improve their teaching, and ultimately, if it helps their 12-13 year old students get better at maths. Many schools use teachers who aren't maths specialists, so understanding how to best support them is really important. The study will look at how students perform in maths tests after their teachers have completed the SKTM programme, compared to students whose teachers haven't had the training yet. This research aims to fill a gap in our knowledge and help improve maths teaching across England.

At a glance

Status

Completed

Sponsor

Education Endowment Foundation

Enrolment target

Start

23 Jun 2025

Estimated completion

03 Oct 2025

Examining the effects of a training programme for non-specialist maths teachers on pupil maths attainment

What is this study about?

This research is all about improving how maths is taught in English secondary schools, especially focusing on teachers who aren't specifically trained in maths. You might be surprised to hear that almost half of high schools in England have teachers who didn't originally train to teach maths, but they still end up teaching it. These are called 'non-specialist' maths teachers. This study wants to find out if a special training programme, called 'Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics' (SKTM), can make a real difference.

The SKTM programme gives these non-specialist teachers a detailed understanding of maths topics and better ways to explain them. The idea is that if these teachers feel more confident and skilled, their students will learn more effectively and achieve better grades in maths, especially in Year 8 (ages 12-13). There hasn't been much research into how effective these training programmes are, so this study aims to fill that important gap.

Ultimately, if the training works, it could help many young people across England improve their maths abilities. Better maths skills are essential for future learning and job opportunities. So, this study is vital for both teachers and students, and could help shape how maths is taught in schools for years to come.

Key takeaways

This study aims to improve maths results for 12-13 year olds.
It focuses on training secondary school teachers who don't specialise in maths.
Participating teachers receive six days of professional development.
Student maths test scores will be used to measure the programme's success.
No significant risks are expected for those taking part.
The study runs from June 2025 to July 2026.

Who may be eligible?

To take part in this study, a school needs to be a state-funded secondary school in England. It must also have a teacher who teaches Year 8 maths but didn't train specifically in maths. This teacher needs to teach at least half of the Year 8 maths lessons for a particular class. The school also needs to be located in an area supported by a 'Maths Hub' (these are centres that help improve maths teaching), or be prepared to join an online training group from anywhere in the country.

The teacher chosen to take part must be available to attend all the training sessions. Also, the school can't be involved in two other specific research projects called 'Peer to Peer Coaching' or 'Making Fluent and Flexible Calculators' at the same time as this study.

Students who are aged 12 or 13 during the 2025/26 school year and are in Year 8 classes taught by these participating non-specialist maths teachers can be part of the study. Private or selective schools, however, cannot take part.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Is your child in Year 8 during the 2025/26 school year?
Does your child attend a state-funded secondary school in England?
Is your child's maths teacher someone who didn't formally train to be a maths teacher?
Is your child's school not involved in other specific research trials at the same time?
Is the school able to let the teacher attend all training sessions?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If your child's school is chosen for the study, it will be randomly placed into one of two groups. In the 'active' group, the non-specialist maths teacher will receive six full days of training throughout the school year. This training involves 18 sessions where teachers will learn about maths topics, teaching methods, and common mistakes students make. They will also get to practice and work together on maths tasks, and complete challenges back in their classrooms.

Schools in the other group, called the 'control' group, will carry on as normal during the study period. They will be offered the training programme later, in 2026/2027. To make up for their time, schools in the active group will receive £500, and control schools will receive £1000 for completing all parts of the study.

In June or July 2026, all Year 8 students in the selected classes (from both groups) will take a maths test called the 'GL Progress Test in Mathematics'. This test will help see how much progress students have made. Students and teachers will also be asked to complete online surveys around the same time. The total study period for the teachers and students involved runs from June 2025 to July 2026.

Potential risks and benefits

A possible benefit of taking part is that the teachers involved might feel more confident and skilled in teaching maths, which could then lead to improved maths performance for the students in their classes. It's hoped that more students will achieve good grades in their maths exams. The researchers expect there to be no meaningful risks involved for either the teachers or the students taking part in this study. You are always free to ask questions about the study and can withdraw your consent for your child's data to be used at any time.

Locations (1)

Sheffield Hallam University
Approximate
Sheffield, England

Common questions

What is a 'non-specialist' maths teacher?

This is a teacher in a secondary school who teaches maths but didn't do their main teacher training specifically in maths.

What does 'teaching for mastery' mean?

It's a way of teaching maths where all students are expected to deeply understand each topic before moving on, ensuring no one is left behind.

Will my child's school automatically get the training if they take part?

No, schools will be randomly chosen for either the active training group or a control group that gets the training later. This helps fairly compare the results.

Who is paying for this study?

The study is being funded by the Education Endowment Foundation, which is a charity in the UK focused on improving education.

What happens to the information collected from my child?

The information collected, like test scores and survey answers, will be used to understand if the training programme helps students learn maths better. Your child's identity will be kept private.

How to find out more

Martin Culliney

M.Culliney@shu.ac.uk +44 01142256072 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.