Maximising Key Stage 3 – Powering Progress

Registration for Secondary MathsFest26 is now open! Full details of MathsFest26 and how to secure your place can be found here.

Taking place on Friday, 19 June 2026, our theme is Maximising Key Stage 3 - Powering Progress - exploring the challenges and opportunities of this critical stage, and how to power up your teaching practice to maximise outcomes for all learners.

Our speakers

The journey from EYFS to KS4 and why you need to know it! Tom Manners

Keynote speaker, Tom Manners (pictured left) addresses the topic of creating a coherent journey through school for our young people and the importance of understanding their previous experience and expectations of maths. Tom is an Evidence Lead in Education at St Matthew’s Research School, part of the EEF Research Schools Network, and has worked across primary and secondary schools and multi-academy trusts in various positions including Trust Maths Lead and Assistant Head. He is an NCETM accredited PD lead and Mastery Specialist. Alongside these roles, Tom trains the next generation of teachers at Arthur Terry SCITT in Birmingham as an Associate Lecturer for Birmingham City University.

Firing up the KS3 engine room. Steve Lomax

What are the big ideas of KS3 mathematics that we all need to pay attention to?

Steve Lomax (pictured left), GLOW's Senior Leadership Link, explores the big ideas that all students need to secure for success in secondary mathematics; and to achieve, at least, a Grade 4 at GCSE.  He will also discuss how we can build resilience and confidence in all students through equitable classrooms and how the work of GLOW Maths Hub can help support schools to address key issues including gaps in foundational knowledge and skills, from KS2.​

Workshop sessions

During the event, we’ll also be running a range of practical workshops for you to get involved in – led by our Local Leaders of Maths Education (LLMEs)/Mastery Specialists and national leaders from across the maths education landscape. Please see a summary of the sessions, listed below.  

• Better questions, better thinking​

  Presenter: Jenny Cains - GLOW Secondary Assistant Maths Hub Lead and Assistant Head of Maths at Chipping Campden School

• Checkpoints - The way to make a great start in Year 7​

  Presenter: Tom Manners

• ​Represent to understand ​

  Presenter: Sam Brace - Christopher Whitehead Language College

• The power of proportion​

  Presenter: Tom Harper - North Bromsgrove High School

Full details of each workshop, including session content and presenters, are available in our event brochure.