CMTP: Changes in Mathematics Teaching Project

Coping with school management issues and policy: summary

All three departments felt generally supported by the school's senior management teams.
A few teachers told researchers that parents would not be supportive. These teachers were also dissenters in other respects and we only heard of one incident at one school - and this was resolved.
Management and availability of ICT varied, not all SMTs understanding that teaching ICT as a subject is not a substitute for using it as an environment for learning mathematics.
In all three schools the provision, reliability and nature of teaching assistance varied from year to year and was never satisfactory or stable; sporadically there were designated mathematics assistants who were members of the mathematics team.
Whole-school policies were often discussed critically in mathematics department meetings.
Teams tried to find ways to apply new policies while maintaining the integrity of their teaching; but these were sometimes in tension.
There were some serious breakdowns due to clashes between policy and teachers' beliefs.
In one school, an Ofsted visit had been a source of comfort and affirmation; in another it was the start of many difficulties.