The NCETM December conference ‘Professional Learning Networks: learning better through learning together’ was heavily affected by the inclement weather, with many attendees and presenters not being able to make it to very snowy Sheffield. Indeed, a number spent many hours in their cars or on trains, and we thank and applaud the 50 or so who did manage to make it, for their determination.

A shortened programme saw Professor Celia Hoyles open the proceedings with a brief summary of the year for the NCETM, and it was great to hear that the numbers using the resources of the NCETM for networking continues to increase. This was followed by an activity for the whole conference that got everyone up and moving. It was interesting to see the spread of experience, with the range of years teaching mathematics going from 0 to well over 35. Learning better through learning together, really does work when such experiences are shared.

The conference then went into a series of workshops, and the presentations will be attached to this site in due course.

All in all, it was a very successful, though short, day and the NCETM will be working to ensure that sessions that were not able to be given will be available at another date.

Again, many thanks should go to those who struggled through the snow, as vehicles could not even get to the venue. We look forward to doing more work on networking to improve the teaching of mathematics in the future.