From focused expertise to trust-wide impact in primary maths leadership
How the NPQ for Leading Primary Mathematics empowered Malcolm to transform practice across schools.
From large inner-city primaries with high numbers of pupils learning English as an additional language, to rural schools with fewer than 100 children, Malcolm’s role has scaled rapidly – and so too has the need for confident, evidence-informed leadership.
That’s where NPQ for Leading Primary Mathematics (NPQLPM) came in.
The right course, at the right time
Malcolm didn’t just complete the programme – he facilitated it too. But before he did, he made a deliberate choice to experience it as a participant.
“I simply wasn’t going to facilitate something I hadn’t undertaken myself,” Malcolm says. “I wanted to self-improve, develop my expertise – and make sure I was the best person to deliver the NPQ. That meant doing it properly, putting the time in, and passing.”
That decision paid off. Not only did the course shape his delivery, it had a powerful impact on his leadership across the trust.
Translating insight into impact
One of the biggest shifts for Malcolm was how he moved from short-term interventions to longer-term, sustainable change.
“I think I’m more confident now – not just in day-to-day delivery, but in thinking about the bigger picture across our trust,” he reflects. “It’s helped me focus on identifying what we need to do to improve, and then giving those things the proper time to land and make a difference.”
The emphasis on strategic implementation – rooted in the EEF’s model for effective change – gave Malcolm a framework he could use to guide curriculum and CPD decisions across the trust. And it shifted his thinking about how to support schools in a way that sticks.
“Sometimes you get half an hour on a trust-wide training day,” he says. “The instinct is to cram as much in as possible. But NPQ taught me to think differently – to see CPD as part of a journey, not a one-off.”
Making maths work for every pupil
The programme’s focus on pedagogy was a highlight for Malcolm – especially when it came to making maths accessible and meaningful for all children.
“The module on problem solving really stood out,” he says. “It challenged the old-fashioned approach of just giving kids word problems and hoping for the best. It showed how to teach the underlying representations – like bar models – so that pupils genuinely understand what they’re doing.”
This inclusive, research-based approach to maths teaching is already making a difference in classrooms.
“We’re seeing more engagement, more enjoyment – and better outcomes,” Malcolm says. “That’s especially important in maths, where pupil confidence can drop quickly. But when kids feel successful, they enjoy it. And when they enjoy it, they learn more.”
Across the trust, pupils are not only achieving more – they’re enjoying learning more too. And as Malcolm puts it, that’s the real impact.
Leadership beyond the bubble
While Meridian Trust is a large and growing family of schools, Malcolm believes it’s vital not to operate in isolation. The NPQ connected him to colleagues beyond his usual network, giving him valuable insight into how other schools approach CPD, coaching, and curriculum leadership.
“Even in a trust, you can end up in a bubble,” he says. “Talking to people in other settings – seeing how they do observations, deliver CPD, structure the day – it makes you reflect on your own practice. That’s how you grow.”
And the learning hasn’t stopped. As a facilitator, Malcolm continues to evolve alongside the programme.
“The modules have already changed since I did them,” he says. “New research, updated frameworks – it’s all reflected. That’s what’s so great. It keeps me sharp.”
A programme that fits the mission
For Malcolm, the NPQ’s alignment with Teach First’s mission was clear.
“The course wasn’t just about gaining maths subject knowledge – it was about becoming a better practitioner and leader,” he says. “It helps you know your setting, know your pupils, and make decisions that work for them – especially those who face the biggest barriers.”
That’s exactly what he’s doing – one school, one classroom, one confident teacher at a time.
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