The Maths offer is commissioned by Professional Development Leicester (PDL). As this initiative is funded via de-delegation, all opportunities are offered at a free, or subsidised cost for Leicester City maintained primary schools. Non-maintained city schools and Leicestershire schools are very welcome to participate, but a full charge will apply. Maintained Leicestershire schools can use their allocated £500 funding from the LA towards these opportunities.
How to book:
Individual booking links for each training opportunity can be found within the course information below. Please contact beth.dixon@sdsa.net if you have any queries.
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £270 per delegate from non-maintained city schools and all Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead: Vicki Giffard
No. of session(s): 3 x half day sessions
Target Audience: Current Maths Leads, aspirant maths leaders and members of SLT
Overview
The Primary Maths Network meetings bring together colleagues from across the city together to network and find out about all of the available local CPD opportunities and national updates.
Meeting dates:
Autumn Term: Thursday 29th October 2026, 9am - 12pm, at SDSA
Spring Term: Thursday 25th February 2027, 9am - 12pm, at SDSA
Summer Term: Monday 24th May 2027, 9am - 12pm, at SDSA
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £270 per delegate from non-maintained city schools and all Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead: Ali Rouse
No. of session(s): 3 x half day sessions
Target Audience: Year 6 teachers (particularly those new to the year group) and Maths Leads. May also be relevant to Year 5 teachers.
Overview:
Sometimes, it is not the mathematics itself that presents the greatest challenge for students, but their ability to understand a question and break it down to identify the knowledge and skills required to solve it. These three half day sessions will explore effective strategies for breaking down problems, making the underlying mathematical content explicit, and identifying the steps needed for success. Students will develop the skills to reason their way through a range of questions with greater confidence and independence.
This course will aim to:
- Explore how we can support all students to access and engage with a variety of problems
- Consider how the use of representations can deepen understanding and reveal the underlying structure of the mathematics
- Recognise how discussion around word problems can support the development of problem-solving skills more broadly
Session dates:
Session 1: Wednesday 14th October 2026, 1pm - 4pm, at SDSA
Session 2: Friday 20th November 2026, 1pm - 4pm, at SDSA
Session 3: Friday 4th December 2026, 1pm - 4pm, at SDSA
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £270 per delegate from non-maintained city schools and all Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead: Ali Rouse
No. of session(s): 3 x half day sessions
Target Audience: Maths Leads and Maths Teachers
Overview:
These sessions will explore how variation can deepen learning in primary mathematics by using both procedural and conceptual variation to help pupils see relationships, make connections and understand mathematical structure. The sessions will focus on how to deliberately draw attention to the critical aspects of mathematical structure, enabling pupils to move beyond following procedures towards recognising patterns, making generalisations and developing a more connected understanding of mathematics.
This course will aim to:
- Explore how carefully varied examples, representations and questions can support pupils to notice important mathematical relationships and develop deeper learning.
- Consider how deliberate choices about examples and variation can reveal mathematical structure and support pupils in making generalisations.
- Engage with and plan rich mathematical tasks that promote depth of understanding
Session dates:
Session 1: Wednesday 27th January 2027, 1pm - 4pm, at SDSA
Session 2: Wednesday 3rd March 2027, 1pm - 4pm, at SDSA
Session 3: Friday 16th April 2027, 9am - 12pm, at SDSA
Cost: Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £125 per delegate from non-maintained city schools and all Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead: Ali Rouse
No. of session(s): 1 x full day session
Target Audience: Maths Leads and Maths Teachers
Overview:
Mental flexibility in mathematics is the ability to adapt strategies, draw on number sense, and make connections in order to develop deeper mathematical thinking. This session will explore how we can support students to become more flexible mathematical thinkers by encouraging them to adapt their approaches, identify patterns, reason logically, and make meaningful connections between mathematical ideas.
This course will aim to:
- Identify and develop effective mental strategies that can be applied across a range of contexts.
- Explore mathematical connections that support efficient and flexible calculation.
- Look at unfamiliar problems and consider how students can make connections to existing knowledge and known strategies.
Session date: Friday 5th February 2027, 9am - 3pm, at SDSA
Cost: Free to attend for Leicester City maintained schools. £125 per delegate from non-maintained city schools and all Leicestershire schools.
Course Lead: Ali Rouse
No. of session(s): 1 x full day session
Target Audience: Maths Leads and Maths Teachers
Overview:
How can we help every student to feel confident, enjoy mathematics and engage positively with their learning? This session will explore practical strategies for mathematics sessions to support students to participate, persevere, enjoy mathematics and experience success.
This course will aim to:
- Explore ways in which we can develop the learning and retention of key facts
- Consider the use of representations and manipulatives to support students to understand the structure of the mathematics
- Use talk as a way to engage students with their mathematics and build their confidence
Session date: Friday 12th February, 9am - 3pm, at SDSA