Spotlight on LLMEs - Post-16 GCSE and FSQ Mastery Specialist Programme

Applications are open NOW for the Post-16 GCSE and FSQ Mastery Specialist Programme!

Mastery Specialists are central to how Maths Hubs support the development of teaching across all phases. They lead change and professional development in their own settings and may also have the opportunity to lead professional development work for their local Maths Hub. In our Spotlights series, we meet some of the passionate maths teachers involved in leading and developing this work.

Joe Wydrzynski is a Post-16 GCSE and FSQ Mastery Specialist and has also led the Supporting Students to Achieve a L2 Qualification in Maths Work Group for Solent Maths Hub.

What is your current role?

I’m the Head of Maths and English at Andover College, which is part of Sparsholt College Group. I’m based at the Andover site, but I also support colleagues at the Sparsholt campus. Each year we teach around 300 maths students across GCSE and Functional Skills at Andover campus. It’s a friendly college, with a lot of students arriving with mixed experiences of GCSE maths and varying levels of confidence.

How did you first get involved with the Post-16 GCSE and FSQ Mastery Specialist Programme?

I was involved in the Centres for Excellence in Maths (CfEM) Programme, and it was through that work that a fellow practitioner suggested I look at the Maths Hub’s Post-16 GCSE and FSQ Mastery Specialist Programme. I wasn’t sure at first, but I’m very glad I applied.

How would you describe the experience?

Before this programme, I’d assumed teaching for mastery was about the teacher being a ‘master mathematician’. The sessions with Emma Bell, the NCETM’s Director of Post-16 Maths, made everything fall into place. I came to realise it was about students having the time and structure to build deep understanding.

I’d never experienced CPD like it. The whole environment was warm and welcoming, which isn’t always the case in FE CPD. It wasn’t just abstract theory and someone talking at you for hours. Every session focused on something practical you could take away and use immediately. We used representations, tried things out together and talked about what worked and what didn’t. People felt comfortable enough to say, “That didn’t go well for me, what did you do?” because it felt safe to have those conversations. Emma Bell is an expert motivator and can make sessions both fun and informative, which is no easy task!

How has being a Mastery Specialist changed your teaching?

I’m far more learner-focused now. I’ve got a wider range of approaches to use when something isn’t landing.

Understanding maths anxiety has been a big change. Before this programme, I hadn’t looked at it in depth. Now I’m much more aware of how anxiety affects confidence and participation. I’m calmer, more patient and more conscious of taking the pressure off so students can think clearly.

Representations have also transformed my teaching. Before the Mastery Specialist Programme, I didn’t use visual approaches much at all. Now things like ratio tables, bar models and array tiles are standard in my lessons. They help students make connections quickly. I realised how much of the maths I used to do in my head and expect them to follow.

What impact have you seen on students and outcomes?

You see the difference in how students approach problems. They’re more willing to have a go. They’re calmer. They’ve got something concrete to start from rather than feeling lost. Around 29 per cent of our GCSE resit students achieved a grade 4 or above last year, which is well above the FE national average. Functional skills results have been strong too. It isn’t one single thing, but the teaching for mastery approach has played a big part: we’ve got a clearer structure, smoother explanations and lots more confidence in the room.

Students often say things like, “I can finally see what’s happening” or “That makes sense now.” That’s a big win for GCSE resit students.

How has the programme supported your team and college?

It’s changed how we talk about teaching. We share ideas more openly, and we look at why approaches work, not just whether a lesson felt successful.

I’ve also redesigned our resources so they build concepts gradually. Everything is animated and structured, which means even colleagues who haven’t trained with the Maths Hub naturally teach in a mastery-informed way.

Some of the connections I made through the programme have shaped how we think about CPD across the college too. We’ve borrowed ideas from other FE settings and adapted them here.

You’ve also led the Supporting Students to Achieve a L2 Qualification in Maths Work Group. What did that involve?

The Work Group brought together participants from our college, Sparsholt, several FE colleges and three secondary schools. It took time to get schools involved, but once they came, they saw the value in cross-phase discussion.

Each session has an aspect of teaching for mastery. We explored ratio tables, bar models and array tiles, always with time to try them out and compare approaches. We also looked at exam questions, maths anxiety and the points where students tend to get stuck.

The most encouraging feedback was that people wanted the Work Group to continue. That shows it is making a difference.

What would you say to anyone considering this programme?

I’d encourage anyone considering the programme to go for it. It was the first time I’d taken part in CPD that offered practical advice straight away, which was genuinely refreshing. It’s helped me become a more reflective teacher and has influenced the way I lead professional development in my own setting.

The networking has been one of the biggest strengths. I’ve worked with lecturers from sixth forms, FE colleges and even prisons, and we still share resources and visit each other’s settings.