National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM): new website launches today

The centre will help to enthuse learners and enable them to achieve greater progress in mathematics by improving skills and teaching knowledge. This makes up part of the response from the DfES to recommendations in Professor Adrian Smith's report 'Making Mathematics Count'. The NCETM initiative advocates a collaborative practice mode to facilitate, enhance and provide leadership for continuing professional development of maths teachers from primary school to college level. This will help to make maths lessons more stimulating, encourage more pupils to take ‘A’ level maths, and widen the pool of highly qualified maths teachers.

The £15m, three-year, government programme to drive the centre will be formally launched in June 2006. An interim website is available now at www.ncetm.org.uk outlining the roll-out plan and encouraging teachers and other key stakeholders to become involved in the project.

The NCETM will be a virtual centre with a web portal to support activities, along with resources at regional and local level. Until the launch in June 2006, activity will focus on identifying regional pathfinder schools and colleges; identifying and training regional hubs, schools and colleges; and instigating links with business and commerce. Development of resources has already started and on completion will include: activities for teaching and continuing professional development (CPD); online tests with value added analysis; networking forums for expert teachers; links to business and commerce; international links to encourage CPD; and targeted support for trainee teachers, newly qualified teachers, advanced skills teachers, heads of department and maths co-ordinators.

Tribal Group plc, in partnership with the Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching at the University of Plymouth, is working closely with key stakeholders including the Training and Development Agency for Schools, the Advisory Committee for Mathematics Education, the National Strategies, OFSTED, the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, professional organisations, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and Celia Hoyles, the Department’s Chief Adviser for Mathematics.
A Spokesperson for the DfES said, "We are confident that the National Centre will draw in support from across the mathematics community and put the country in an excellent position to rise to the challenges of teaching and learning mathematics in the 21st century."
The web portal for the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics will build on Tribal’s experience with clients such as the National Network of Science Learning Centres where Tribal developed and delivered an online learning environment for science teachers and technicians; and the feasibility study it carried out into the proposed London Virtual Academy.

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Notes to editors


Tribal Group plc is one of the fastest growing companies supporting the public sector today. The Group's activities cover the full spectrum of strategic and operational support services including consulting, property, technology, resourcing, education and communications.

www.tribalgroup.co.uk


NCETM
Telephone: 0114 219 1007
Facsimile: 0114 281 6021
info@ncetm.org.uk
www.ncetm.org.uk


For further information, please contact:
Catherine Dhanjal, TheAnswer Ltd Tel: 0208 655 0953 or 0794 166 9925
Email: catherine.dhanjal@theansweruk.com

Date: 6 December 2005 Ref: TA-290