1. Professional development
Vision and aims
Self-evaluation
Professional development
Curriculum and lesson planning
Learning environment and resources
Managing the budget
Assessment
Liaison with SLT
Improvement planning

2. Encourage all staff to feel valued through acknowledgement, support and praise
Have an expectation that all staff are developing an aspect of their practice and support them in this
Ensure that the performance management process links to the Departmental Improvement Plan
Identify professional development needs in the Departmental Improvement Plan
Consider performance management outcomes and departmental self-evaluation when deploying staff
Take account of individual wishes and departmental needs when deploying staff
Use quantitative and qualitative impact measures to monitor and evaluate the deployment of teachers and additional adults
Use different types of evidence to establish an accurate picture of the current mathematics provision
Analyse data against national, local and historical measures, considering both attainment and progress
Analyse data to give information about the performance of groups of students and also about areas of the curriculum which need to be developed
Use the information gathered to feed directly into the Departmental Improvement Plan
Involve a range of stakeholders (e.g. pupils, TA’s, parents and governors) in the evaluation
Where evidence points to the need for further investigation, ensure that this results in some focused teacher enquiry and classroom-based research
Base on deep-seated beliefs which will remain constant despite changes in educational organisation
Include statements about the place of mathematics in the curriculum, its importance for all and a vision for the teaching and learning of mathematics in the school
Generate as a result of departmental discussion
Make it short and concise
Use language that is clear and easily understood
Articulate the importance of mathematics in a wider context beyond the school and the classroom
Describe what classroom activity (in terms of teaching and learning) should look like
Describe outcomes for learners in the school
Specify the budget in terms of two elements; one which is dedicated to consumables (e.g. textbooks and stationery) and the other to resourcing developmental needs of staff (e.g. teaching and learning projects, peer observation, joint planning, etc.)
Allocate funding strategically in order to support the priorities in the Departmental Improvement Plan
Link funds to specified actions within the Improvement Plan so that the budget is a tool which services the needs of the plan
Ensure that the budget is regularly reviewed to check that the needs of the school are being met
Provide for regular liaison between the subject leader and the school’s finance officer
Enhance corridors and classrooms with stimulating displays which reflect the ethos of the department
Have classroom displays that are continually evolving to reflect current learning
Employ resources to drive a change in teaching and learning in the department and the needs of the development plan
List resources in the scheme of work with suggestions for their use and staff’s experiences of them
Consider the most appropriate layout of the classroom to support effective learning
Allocate rooms to ensure that recently qualified and peripatetic staff are located close to more experienced staff who can offer support and advice
Have a Long Term Plan which clearly states an expected pathway of progression across the Key Stage broken down into a yearly plan
Have a Medium Term Plan which links clearly to the long term-plan, makes clear what is to be taught and when, and is based on prior attainment rather than the year group pupils are in (more here)
Have a Short Term (lesson planning) process which links clearly to the medium term-plan, makes it clear what is to be taught, and encourages the teacher to plan a sequence of lessons rather than ‘standalones’ (more here)
Ensure all planning processes reflect the department’s vision and national priorities
Relate to the whole-school improvement plan
Have clear sections for each development area which relate to the department’s self-evaluation
Have a mixture of short term achievable actions and long term changes of culture
Provide detail about each area which makes clear:
what is to be done
who will lead or manage it
what the timescale for the activity is
what funding is available
what monitoring activities are in place to help check that developments have been successful
how the department will know when it is done and has been successful
Ensure the process is regularly reviewed / refined
Are SLT part of the process that creates the Departmental Improvement Plan?
Is there regular contact with SLT, allowing them to monitor and support in a strategic and structured manner, ensuring that the department is in line with whole-school and national developments?
Does the line manager act as a critical friend?
Are there planned regular meetings that encourage a supportive and challenging dialogue between the Subject Leader and SLT?
Does the SLT encourage and acknowledge the expertise of the subject leader and expect them to propose and develop new initiatives?
Is there commitment to support the subject leader with driving improvements in mathematics?
Have a policy which clearly explains the principles behind assessment and the distinction between day-to-day, periodic and transitional assessment
Clarify the link between assessment, tracking and reporting
Include a blend of formative and summative approaches
Include students in the assessment process
Ensure that assessment informs classroom practice
Ensure that policy reflects the school’s approach and builds on the department’s vision
Use a tracking tool informed by good classroom assessment showing what students can and cannot do
Allow for periodic snapshots of a cohort of pupils to be made in order to inform future intervention strategies