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Tara Atefi is a Secondary Mastery Specialist and Local Leader of Mathematics Education in the Central Region.  Tara, a Maths Coordinator at St Paul's School for Girls leads on A Level Pedagogy and Subject Leaders Work Groups across our region.

We asked Tara to share her experience of being an LLME and working with the Central Maths Hub before she heads off on Maternity Leave.

What led you to becoming a Secondary Mastery Specialist?

I have always loved learning and talking about mathematics, and I’m passionate about developing others. I wanted to empower the maths teachers I work with by deepening their understanding of the connections within our subject and helping them build greater confidence in teaching for understanding.

Can you describe your experience of the training you were involved in?

The training provided rich opportunities for discussion and networking with other local teachers and leaders. Each session encouraged me to explore fundamental concepts in much greater depth, particularly those within the primary curriculum. I also had several opportunities to reflect on my own practice and to consider how best to introduce the ideas and materials to colleagues in my department and beyond.

What has been the impact on your own teaching?

I now use TfM principles in every lesson, adapting them in ways that fit naturally with my teaching style. I draw on a wide range of representations and have a clearer sense of which models best support particular topics. Discussion, pattern-spotting and variation theory are now embedded in my classroom, enabling pupils to make conjectures and articulate their mathematical thinking more confidently.

What has been the impact on your department/school?

Our department now has a stronger understanding of the progression and interconnectedness of mathematical ideas across the curriculum. Staff confidence in using manipulatives—such as double‑sided counters and bar models—has grown significantly, and these tools are now used more consistently and purposefully to support conceptual understanding.

What advice would you give you anyone thinking of applying?

Go for it! The programme will encourage you to think deeply about your own practice and make meaningful improvements. It will also equip you to share high-quality, tried‑and‑tested materials with your department, helping pupils develop rich mathematical understanding that goes far beyond procedural fluency.