Five Things Every School Can Do to Improve Mathematics

Mark McKelson - Director T2L Education

1. Build Strong Maths Leadership

Every great maths program starts with strong leadership. Schools need a passionate maths leader — and that leader needs a mentor. Leadership should focus on coaching, not compliance: supporting teachers to grow their confidence, skill, and understanding of the curriculum. A connected mentor provides perspective, accountability, and access to best practice.

2. Know Your Data and Assessment Schedule

Improvement starts with clarity. Every teacher should know what’s being assessed, when, and why. A transparent assessment schedule, combined with data tracking, helps schools identify strengths, gaps, and progress across year levels. When teachers understand the story behind the numbers, they can plan more targeted teaching.

3. Define the Key Learnings for Each Level

A well-documented scope and sequence ensures consistency and coherence. It’s not enough to have a curriculum outline — teachers must clearly understand the key learning expectations at each level. Each school’s version will look different, but it should reflect logical learning progressions. For example, you can’t teach fractions effectively until students demonstrate multiplicative thinking.

4. Promote and Extend Talented Mathematicians

Every school has mathematically talented students. The question is: how are you nurturing them? High-achieving students raise the bar for everyone. By offering enrichment programs, extension tasks, or maths clubs, schools can celebrate talent and inspire broader engagement. Building on student strengths creates a culture of success.

5. Invest in Professional Learning Every Year

Teacher learning drives student learning. Schools should plan ongoing professional development that deepens teachers’ understanding of curriculum, learning sequences, and best practice. Engaging lessons that connect, challenge, and include all learners reduce maths anxiety and build collective confidence. Sustained, whole-school learning is far more effective than one-off workshops.

Balance Literacy and Mathematics Intervention

Effective schools balance support across all learning areas. If students are still adding with their fingers in Grade 6, that signals a need for urgent maths intervention — just as reading issues trigger literacy intervention. Targeted maths support can rebuild understanding and reduce anxiety, helping students rediscover their confidence and capability.

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